Report: ‘Disruptive’ court-goer altered file

Editor’s note: The charge was later amended to making a false or misleading statement to a public official, a misdemeanor.

A Spokane man described by Superior Court clerks as “disruptive” has been charged with a felony after a court employee said he altered documents in his divorce file.

Matthew C. DeRyan, 43, was arrested on a $5,000 warrant Saturday and appeared in court this afternoon on a charge of injury to public record. He’s accused of crossing out dates and writing in new dates in the file in August.

Clerks said he admitted to defacing the documents “because he needed a new court date,” according to a probable cause affidavit.

A Spokane police officer said he was “familiar with DeRyan and his adverse behavior toward the court,” according to the affidavit. The officer said he’s monitored DeRyan “on different occasions due to his behavior in the court reference to his custody case.”

DeRyan was released on his own recognizance.