TACOMA, Wash. — On Tuesday, Sedrick Altheimer delivered much-anticipated testimony in the trial of Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer.
Altheimer said Troyer falsely reported that he threatened to kill him. The sheriff is on trial for allegedly making a false report.
Within minutes of taking the stand Tuesday morning, Altheimer became emotional. At one point, he was reduced to tears and the judge had to call a quick recess.
He detailed for the courtroom his memory of Jan. 27, 2021. Altheimer recalls he was on his daily route dropping off papers just before 2 a.m. when he first noticed a white SUV trailing him.
When proceedings picked back up, Altheimer answered questions for hours.
He remembers spotting that same car three separate times before he got out of his car to confront the driver.
“He accused me of being a porch pirate,” Altheimer said. “He just talked down to me like I was lost.”
The defense reiterated Troyer never left his car during the run-in. Troyer’s attorney, Anne Bremner, kept describing the encounter as a “nonevent.”
“You weren’t arrested,” Bremner said. “You weren’t prosecuted.”
Altheimer pushed back on her labeling, saying what happened to him was traumatic.
“Something did happen,” Altheimer said. “I almost lost my life for a lie.”
Bremner also pointed out that Altheimer never identified himself as a newspaper deliverer.
“I threw out papers and he was right there,” Altheimer said.