Post by KC on May 7, 2006 21:57:40 GMT -5
05/07/2006 - Assistant Sheriff Mark Puthuff was stopped by one of his employees in March after a deputy saw him nearly hit two pedestrians in Turlock.
No one was injured in the incident, and Puthuff was not cited or arrested.
But the deputy's supervisor is being investigated by the Sheriff's Department, apparently for instructing the deputy to write a memo documenting the incident.
Sgt. John Hallford was on duty March 21 when the deputy pulled over Puthuff's car near the intersection of Marshall Street and Golden State Boulevard shortly after 11 p.m., he said.
The deputy saw Puthuff "speeding and driving somewhat recklessly," Hallford said.
The deputy — whom officials would not identify — did not initially realize he had stopped his boss, Hallford said. He spoke to Puthuff briefly, then let him go, Hallford said.
"The deputy called me in a panic," Hallford said. "He said, 'Hey, what do I do? I'm worried about retaliation.'"
Hallford said he told the deputy to write a memo documenting the incident.
"As a result, I am being investigated by Internal Affairs," he said, and investigators have not explained why.
Hallford said he believes it is for political reasons. He is president of the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Supervisor's Association, which endorsed Lt. Adam Christianson in the sheriff's race.
"Obviously, I'm upset," Hallford said. "When your boss does something wrong and they open a case on you, it's wrong."
Sheriff's officials would not comment on the investigation because it is a personnel matter.
On Tuesday, Puthuff would not discuss the traffic stop, except to say: "The entire story is that there was nothing to the incident. … This is being made political."
On Thursday, he sent a statement to The Bee saying that he was driving through Turlock when two men ran into the street. He swerved to avoid them and continued. Several blocks away, the deputy stopped him, he wrote.
"He said he heard my vehicle accelerate and observed two individuals running across the street," Puthuff wrote. "I told him they had darted out of a lot and jaywalked illegally in front of me.
"To clarify, I was in my personal vehicle, off duty and alone," Puthuff wrote. "There was no violation of law and the deputy took no other action."
Hallford said the deputy will leave in June to join the Fresno County Sheriff's Department.
No one was injured in the incident, and Puthuff was not cited or arrested.
But the deputy's supervisor is being investigated by the Sheriff's Department, apparently for instructing the deputy to write a memo documenting the incident.
Sgt. John Hallford was on duty March 21 when the deputy pulled over Puthuff's car near the intersection of Marshall Street and Golden State Boulevard shortly after 11 p.m., he said.
The deputy saw Puthuff "speeding and driving somewhat recklessly," Hallford said.
The deputy — whom officials would not identify — did not initially realize he had stopped his boss, Hallford said. He spoke to Puthuff briefly, then let him go, Hallford said.
"The deputy called me in a panic," Hallford said. "He said, 'Hey, what do I do? I'm worried about retaliation.'"
Hallford said he told the deputy to write a memo documenting the incident.
"As a result, I am being investigated by Internal Affairs," he said, and investigators have not explained why.
Hallford said he believes it is for political reasons. He is president of the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Supervisor's Association, which endorsed Lt. Adam Christianson in the sheriff's race.
"Obviously, I'm upset," Hallford said. "When your boss does something wrong and they open a case on you, it's wrong."
Sheriff's officials would not comment on the investigation because it is a personnel matter.
On Tuesday, Puthuff would not discuss the traffic stop, except to say: "The entire story is that there was nothing to the incident. … This is being made political."
On Thursday, he sent a statement to The Bee saying that he was driving through Turlock when two men ran into the street. He swerved to avoid them and continued. Several blocks away, the deputy stopped him, he wrote.
"He said he heard my vehicle accelerate and observed two individuals running across the street," Puthuff wrote. "I told him they had darted out of a lot and jaywalked illegally in front of me.
"To clarify, I was in my personal vehicle, off duty and alone," Puthuff wrote. "There was no violation of law and the deputy took no other action."
Hallford said the deputy will leave in June to join the Fresno County Sheriff's Department.