Tacoma officer: Troyer said newspaper carrier did not threaten him

The trial of Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer took a marked turn Wednesday as a key witness appeared to hand the prosecution its case.

Tacoma Police Officer Chad Lawless took the witness stand after a lengthy argument between prosecutors and defense attorneys about the rules of cross-examination for him.

Newspaper carrier takes stand in Pierce County Sheriff trial

Lawless was one of the first to the scene when Troyer called 911 to report a man threatening his life. He testified he arrived just minutes after the initial call – a call in which the sheriff is heard telling dispatchers multiple times that he was threatened.

“He knows who I am, he threatened to kill me and I have him blocked in,” Troyer said in the recording.

Lawless testified he and other officers found the two men’s vehicles parked nose-to-nose, and after patting down the man accused of threats – later identified as newspaper delivery driver Sedrick Altheimer – he interviewed Troyer.

According to Lawless, Troyer told him he was at home when he noticed a suspicious car pulling into his neighbors’ driveways, so he got dressed and went out to investigate.

Altheimer said he eventually approached the SUV and the driver had the window down. He asked the driver, later identified as Troyer, why he was following him.

Altheimer said Troyer didn’t answer or identify himself at the time.

“He just talked down to me like I was just lost, like I didn’t know where I belonged,” Altheimer said in court today. “He accused me of being a porch pirate.”

Altheimer also said Troyer accused him of stealing packages from peoples’ property and that he would call the police. In audio previously played to Pierce County jurors, the sheriff can be heard saying a man threatened to kill him.

A large police presence swarmed the location — the size of which was disputed, with Troyer’s attorney attempting to paint the high-priority alert as an overreaction by dispatchers.

Altheimer said he never threatened Troyer.

Troyer later walked back the claim.

Altheimer was stopped by police, but ultimately let go. Altheimer admitted, under cross-examination, he never identified himself as a newspaper carrier.

But when asked about the threats, Lawless told the court Troyer told him something much different.

“Did he mention any threat at that time?” Prosecutor Melanie Tratnik asked.

“No, he didn’t,” Lawless responded.

“So what did you do?” Tratnik followed up.

“Based on the nature of the call and the reason that we were there, I asked him did he make any threats toward you, and he said ‘no,’” lawless responded.

Even after being asked twice, Lawless said Troyer repeatedly indicated Altheimer did not threaten to kill him.

“Did he threaten you, or did you see him armed with any weapons, and he said ‘no, but it was clear that he wanted to fight,’” Lawless said.

Lawless said he then brought up Altheimer’s job delivering newspapers.

“If that’s the case, let him go,’” Lawless recalled Troyer telling him.

During testimony, Altheimer said he’s sometimes stopped because he is Black. He told prosecutors he is regularly viewed by private citizens with suspicion when he’s just trying to do his job.

Altheimer testified that he did return to the sheriff’s house that night to toss a newspaper on his driveway, despite the sheriff not being a newspaper subscriber.

Troyer is charged with false reporting, but has pleaded not guilty, and his defense attorneys have questioned the Lawless’ credibility.

The court expects more witnesses to take the stand before closing arguments are made as early as Thursday.

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