Portland Police Bureau officer Scott Groshong was indicted Wednesday on charges of assault, misconduct, and failure to perform the duties of a driver for hitting an alleged thief with a van as the man fled from the crime scene, OregonLive.com/The Oregonian reported, citing a source familiar with the case. Groshong reportedly had 27 years of service when he retired in August.
All caught on video. I watched the video. The officer saw someone burglarizing a store. When the burglar fled, with the stolen merchandise, the officer gave chase using the van he was in, there wasn’t enough time to exit the van, the van touched the suspect’s legs who was running at full speed, and he tripped. He quickly got up and fled without the loot. He was arrested a few blocks away. Where’s the crime???? The suspect wasn’t hurt, so there was no hit-and-run. And if there was an H&R, it was the suspect who fled. The officer was doing what he was supposed to do: catch a fleeing felon. There was no excessive force. Suppose the officer threw his baton and caused him to trip, or ran him down and kicked his heels, causing him to trip, it would have been okay. There is no inherent crime in touching someone with a vehicle. Police officers do this all the time. They often use their vehicles to corral fleeing suspects. And the car is often touched.
AND THE (PORTLAND STYLED) RESULT: THE OFFICER WAS INDICTED, AND THE FELONY BURGLAR WAS RELEASED AND NOT CHARGED. No doubt he made a plea deal, Portland style: If he would testify against the officer, he could go free.