Works In Progress - September 2003 - Pedestrian Alleged by Oly P.D. to Have Caused Accident With Puget Sound Energy Van: Victim suspects racism and profiling, demands apologies

A Native American (Tlingit) resident of Olympia, Rich Paddock, was hit by a van operated by Puget Sound Energy (PSE) on Wednesday, August 13 at about 12:30 p.m. at 4th and Central Avenues. Paddock reported that he was crossing at an authorized crosswalk in broad daylight on his bike when the PSE van struck him. Despite these facts, Paddock is being treated as if his choice of clothing for the day was the indirect cause of the accident, and that the driver of the van was blameless.

Before the police and emergency medical team arrived on the scene, Paddock asked the driver of the van if he was in a hurry. He responded "Yes, but that's no excuse." His remorseful demeanor changed, however, when the OPD arrived.

Paddock reported that when an Olympia policeman arrived to make out a report, a fireman was pouring alcohol on his bleeding right hand. He first asked Paddock for his license in a brusque manner and then told him, after a quick assessment of the situation, "Well, you were wearing a black shirt." Officer Curtright did not cite the PSE driver and then told Paddock "I won't cite you," again inferring that Paddock was somehow at fault. In his police report, where injuries are to be reported, the officer took the time to write "None" for the driver, and left Paddock's space blank.

The accident was also witnessed by an attorney who found Officer Curtwright's report of the incident "very misleading." She stopped at the scene to give Paddock her business card since she believed that as a pedestrian, Paddock's right of way had been violated by the PSE driver. The Washington Driver Guide states explicitly that "Drivers must stop for bicyclists crossing in a painted or unpainted crosswalk when the bicyclist is within one lane of their half of the roadway (page 73)." In addition to Officer Curtright's novel interpretation of traffic law, he also ignored Paddock's injuries. His report stated that Paddock had not sustained any physical damage; however, after a visit to his doctor, Paddock is in need of an MRI to check for damage to his lateral meniscus.

Paddock told Works in Progress that as a dark skinned Native American he has repeatedly been stopped by police both inside and outside Olympia for spurious reasons. He believes that as a result of going public with this complaint, he is being targeted by the Olympia Police to intimidate him into keeping quiet and not bringing legal action against PSE and possibly the OPD itself. Paddock says he fears reprisals, and now limits his driving around town to a bare minimum.