Pierce County Sheriff’s trial to begin after illness delay

TACOMA, Wash. — Jury selection begins Monday in the trial against Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer, who prompted a massive police response by reporting a Black man threatened to kill him, a claim which is now being considered as false reporting. This is a delay from when jury selection had to be halted Tuesday, Nov. 22, due to Troyer testing positive with a rapid test for COVID-19.

Troyer is charged with false reporting and making a false statement after claiming a Black newspaper carrier threatened to kill him last year.

Troyer’s defense attorney asked for a delay in the trial due to his illness.

“Sheriff Troyer tested negative for COVID at the hospital but positive for Influenza A,” Troyer’s attorney, Anne Bremner, said. “He is severely dehydrated and is getting fluids. He is undergoing more tests. He apparently had COVID antibodies in his system from a prior bout with COVID.”

Troyer is on trial for an incident that happened in October 2021, when Troyer allegedly called an officer line to 911 dispatch claiming the Black newspaper carrier, Sedrick Altheimer, threatened to kill him.

This report prompted 40 officers to start to report to Troyer’s location. When police arrived on the scene, Troyer walked those statements back.

He reportedly came down with the flu after his defense initially claimed he had COVID early Monday. He took two rapid tests, one came back negative, while another had a faint red line, declaring it positive.

Jury selection in the criminal trial started Monday, Nov. 21, and was expected to continue Tuesday before Troyer reported he had the flu.

Opening statements were scheduled to begin on Nov. 29, with the trial expected to last about a week and a half. Since there was a delay, the proceedings won’t be expected to start until early December.

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