Kitsap deputy who fired shot in Poulsbo is identified; investigation continues

A multi-agency team is investigating an incident Saturday, Feb. 6, in which a Kitsap County Sheriff’s deputy fired shots during the arrest of a driver suspected of being drunk or on drugs.

According to the Kitsap Critical Incident Response Team, the deputy was responding to a dispatched call of a possible driver under the influence reported to the Poulsbo Police Department. The deputy pulled over the suspect car on Highway 305 south of Sol Vei Street in Poulsbo.

Shortly after the vehicle was stopped, the deputy radioed Kitsap 911 that shots had been fired. Other law enforcement officers arrived on the scene; the suspect was arrested and was found to be uninjured.

In a release Friday, Feb. 12, the deputy was identified as Deputy Sheriff Joshua Buonvino, a recent transfer who previously worked one year in the Kitsap County Jail and two previous years with another law enforcement agency. He has been placed on administrative leave, as is standard in office-involved shooting cases.

Lt. Aaron Elton of the Bremerton Police Department said in a release Sunday that the deputy is believed to have fired a shot at the suspect in the car. No other details were released.

The Kitsap Critical Incident Response Team is comprised of officers from several police agencies who investigate incidents of officer-involved shootings.

Kitsap County Sheriff Gary Simpson said in a statement Friday, “We appreciate the careful outside investigation of the incident and have followed every procedure as prescribed by the rules” set by Washington state law.

This story was originally published February 7, 2021 at 5:39 PM.