All persons accused in the police blotter are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law.

ASSAULT:

At 8:51 p.m. March 29, a man entered the Sumner Police Department and requested medical aid, stating he had been assaulted. An East Pierce Fire & Rescue unit responded and an officer met the subject at the front door. He had a swollen and bleeding nose. The man told an officer he was the manager of a rental property; he had been working with a business associate when the two entered into an argument. The manager told the other man to leave, but he refused to do so. The two were standing in a slim hallway and, as the manager attempted to pass by, he bumped into the other subject and a fight ensued. The manager took several hits to the face. The manager requested police remove his attacker from the rental property, if he was still there. The manager was taken to receive medical care, and officers located the alleged attacker, who lives on the property and said he does renovations in lieu of rent. The man said the property owner was, in fact, the provoking attacker, and that the hits to the man’s face were in self-defense.

DUI:

At 11:59 p.m. March 30, officers responded to the 6600 block of 166th Avenue for a report of four men fighting in a parking lot. Some were leaving the scene in a vehicle. The vehicle was located and a person in the car matched the description given by the caller. The officer spoke with the driver outside of the car. The man had an “overpowering odor of intoxicants,” watery eyes, and apparently slurred speech. He had to balance himself on the patrol car as he swayed side by side. When asked how much he had to drink, the man responded he had consumed about six beers. He submitted to field sobriety tests and performed poorly, then refused the voluntary breath test. The suspect was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

SHOTS FIRED:

Officers were dispatched to a report of gun shots fired on 8th Street Southeast, at around 11:16 p.m. April 1. An on-duty security guard advised that she heard a male and female in the area arguing. As the guard walked closer, she heard the man yelling at the woman. One of the people left in a vehicle and the guard heard a gunshot. Officers could hear shots while speaking with the guard.

Officers adopted night vision and thermal imaging gear before conducting a search of the area.

An officer soon found a man. The man put his arm straight out and emanated two bright blasts from the end. Officers took cover and called for backup. The man walked toward the officers general location, where they confronted the man and demanded he drop his weapon. The man dropped his firearm, as well as a bottle of liquor. He told officers he was just blowing off steam. A records check showed the man was a convicted felon, a situation which often indicates second amendment rights have been taken away. The man said his rights had been restored by a judge, but that he did not have his paperwork on hand. The officers arrested the subject for discharging a firearm in a public place. He may also be charged with a felony if he lied about having his second amendment rights restored.

DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE:

Officers responded to a domestic disturbance on Wood Avenue around 3:11 a.m. April 2. Officers contacted the people involved and an intoxicated female claimed she had been assaulted by the male. The male told officers he was tired of her constant drinking, and on that night she had gotten particularly drunk, prompting him to tell her she had a problem. The woman became angry and aggressive, he said, so he told her he would leave. She grabbed him by the shirt, he said, bit his arm and punched him in the face multiple times. The man showed the officer his arm, which had teeth marks and evident minor bleeding.

Incidentally, the woman also punched an officer in the shoulder, causing “slight pain,” the officer reported. The woman was booked into county for assault in the fourth degree (domestic violence modifier) and assaulting a police officer.