Court Orders Sheriff Troyer To Stay 1,000 Feet From Newspaper Carrier

TACOMA, WA — Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer has been ordered to keep 1,000 feet away from the Black newspaper carrier he confronted in a highly-publicized incident on Jan. 27, 2021.

In that incident, Troyer reportedly followed and eventually contacted the driver, Sedrick Altheimer, believing the driver was committing package theft when in fact Altheimer was driving his regular delivery route. After some verbal sparring, Troyer called 911 telling dispatchers that the Altheimer threatened to kill him, but later recanted that statement when he was later interviewed by Tacoma police. The driver was frisked by officers and his car was searched before he was allowed to continue his route. However, he told The Seattle Times he felt he had been racially profiled. Troyer denies that.

Timeline: Troyer's Exchange With Newspaper Driver

The incident sparked a whirlwind of controversy for the sheriff, including a campaign demanding Troyer's resignation, criminal charges from the Attorney General, a probe from the county that found Troyer violated several Sheriff's Department policies, and a lawsuit from Altheimer.

Now, another anti-harassment order can be added to the list, as Pierce County District Court Pro Tem Judge Christine Chin on Monday granted a request from Altheimer's attorney, ordering Troyer to keep clear of the driver. As The Seattle Times first reported, Troyer has reportedly followed Altheimer several times since their first altercation, circling his vehicle around the delivery driver and flashing his lights.

The first anti-harassment order, filed last month, demanded Troyer keep 500 feet away from Altheimer's home and workplace.

Troyer was summoned to speak during Monday's hearing, the Times reported, but his attorney said he would not speak due to the ongoing criminal case against him. His attorney alleges the two had only encountered each other once since the 2021 incident, when Altheimer delivered a paper to Troyer's father while Troyer visited.

For calling an outsized response on Altheimer during their intial clash, Troyer has been charged with one count of false reporting, and one count of making a false or misleading statement to a public servant. Court documents shared by the Attorney General's Office say Troyer repeatedly told a dispatcher that driver Sedrick Altheimer threatened his life, but that he "knew the information was false" and that calling it in "would likely cause an emergency response."

If convicted on both counts, Troyer could face up to 364 days in prison, and up to a $5,000 fine, the Attorney General's Office said.

The Pierce County Council's probe, meanwhile, found the sheriff guilty of violating four Pierce County Sheriff's Department policies — including one that protects against biased policing. During his 911 call to dispatchers, Troyer repeatedly described Altheimer as "homeless looking" as a justification for why officers should intervene.

"The 911 transcript reflects that after providing Mr. Altheimer's license plate information, Sheriff Troyer gratuitously described Mr. Altheimer and his vehicle as follows: "he looks homeless in his car" and he was driving a "beat up truck, old homeless looking" vehicle," the council's report reads. "Implicit in these statements is the biased belief that because someone "looks homeless" or is driving an older, "beat up" car, they are more likely to commit crimes."

Troyer has consistently denied allegations of racism or misconduct, and has refused to step down. Following the announcement of the Attorney General's criminal investigation, he told The News Tribune that he welcomed "any and all" investigations into his actions that night. Troyer also published an op-ed in The News Tribune calling the incident a "learning experience" and saying he would be working with the Black community in an effort to do better.