Pierce County sheriff’s deputy gets deferred prosecution over a drunken driving charge

A Pierce County sheriff’s deputy who was arrested twice on suspicion of drunken driving during a two-hour span has received deferred prosecution in the case.

As part of the agreement, Robert Glen Carpenter has begun alcoholism treatment. He could have the two drunken driving charges against him dismissed if he continues treatment for two years and has no other alcohol-related violations during his five years on probation, said Cliff Morey, his attorney.

Carpenter, 37, agreed to the deferred prosecution - a standard option for people arrested for drunken driving who are determined to be alcoholics - in a Chelan County courtroom Tuesday afternoon.

“It’s going to be a good thing for him and for the county as well,” Morey said Wednesday.

Carpenter is on administrative assignment with the Sheriff’s Department and is not patrolling the streets. He’ll be on administrative assignment until “he’s determined to be fit for duty,” sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer said.

“He’s a good officer,” Troyer said. “He has to take care of himself.”

Meanwhile, the department’s internal affairs division is investigating Carpenter’s actions. Depending on the results, he could face internal discipline.

“Our people are held more accountable to obey the law,” Troyer said. “He still has to deal with our department internally, and there could be some ramifications from that.”

According to Washington State Patrol reports, Carpenter was pulled over on Highway 2 about 12:30 a.m. Nov. 24 after he was clocked going 95 mph past troopers who had stopped another driver.

Carpenter had a hard time maintaining his balance and smelled strongly of alcohol, according to reports. The deputy’s blood-alcohol level registered at 0.21 at 1:54 a.m., records state. It’s illegal to drive with a level of 0.08 or higher.

The deputy was released to the care of his girlfriend, who also picked up Carpenter’s truck and his dog.

Troopers again stopped Carpenter for speeding on Highway 2 at 2:44 a.m. This time, the deputy was booked into the Chelan County Jail and his truck was towed.

A new breath test was taken at 4:22 a.m. It showed a reading of 0.168.

Carpenter was charged with two counts of drunken driving. Under state law, the charges were combined into one because they happened within seven days of each other.

“This is a standard thing,” Morey said.

Carpenter, a sheriff’s deputy since 1993, got no special treatment, Morey said.

Under state law, deferred prosecutions are available to people arrested on suspicion of drunken driving who are found to suffer from alcoholism. Carpenter was evaluated and is undergoing alcoholism treatment at Lakeside-Milam Recovery Center.

“Deputy Carpenter qualified for that,” Morey said. “This is just one of those situations where the opportunity, though unfortunate, is beneficial to deputy Carpenter.”

As part of the deferred prosecution, Carpenter was allowed to keep his driver’s license.

Other public officials who have been arrested on suspicion of drunken driving have received deferred prosecutions. They include former Tacoma City Manager Ray Corpuz and state Supreme Court Justice Bobbe Bridge.

“In any court on any day, there are literally dozens in the whole court system,” Morey said, referring to deferred prosecutions.

This is the not first time Carpenter has been reassigned. He was removed from his job teaching recruits at the state’s law enforcement training commission in 2006 after he sent a profane e-mail response to a resident.

Carpenter, who taught patrol procedures to recruits, apologized for sending the e-mail and said his actions “were grossly negligent and unforgivable.”

This story was originally published January 24, 2008 at 12:00 AM.