Former Pierce County Sheriff’s Office major Chadwick Brooks Dickerson is headed to jail after a drunk-driving crash near Graham left multiple people hurt, including an 8-year-old boy and a 57-year-old grandmother.
On Tuesday, a Pierce County Superior Court judge sentenced Dickerson to three months in jail after he pleaded guilty to felony vehicular assault while under the influence and a gross-misdemeanor count of obstructing a law enforcement officer. The plea wraps up the criminal case stemming from a July 12, 2025 collision that sent several members of another vehicle to local hospitals with injuries.
According to The News Tribune, prosecutors told the court they estimated Dickerson’s blood-alcohol concentration at about 0.13 at the time of the crash. A hospital blood draw more than three hours later still measured 0.091, above Washington’s legal limit of 0.08. The News Tribune reports the three-month jail term was part of a negotiated plea agreement that Dickerson accepted in court.
Charging documents and local reporting describe the crash at the uncontrolled intersection of 132nd Avenue East and 288th Street East, where Dickerson’s pickup struck a Ford Expedition carrying six people, causing the SUV to roll. FOX 13 Seattle reported that the 57-year-old grandmother suffered fractured ribs and a fractured back, the 8-year-old boy had bruising and a traumatic hernia, and a pregnant 27-year-old passenger was also injured.
Internal Review Finds Body-Camera Gaps
The criminal case is not the only fallout from the crash. An internal Pierce County Sheriff’s Office review found that deputies who responded to the scene did not fully follow department policy, including at least one deputy turning off a body-worn camera during key parts of the response.
Sheriff Keith Swank ordered retraining and corrective action, calling the lapses unacceptable in such a serious incident, according to KIRO 7. The internal review also flagged documentation problems that Swank said would be addressed.
Legal Consequences
Under Washington law, vehicular assault while under the influence is a felony (RCW 46.61.522) that can carry substantial prison time. Obstructing a law enforcement officer is classified as a gross misdemeanor under RCW 9A.76.020. The statutes allow prosecutors to pursue enhanced penalties in cases involving high blood-alcohol levels or serious injuries, which the court considered during sentencing.
Dickerson retired from the sheriff’s office after charges were filed. Prosecutors indicated the plea and sentence resolve the criminal case, while the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said its administrative review of the deputies’ response is ongoing. Restitution or other post-conviction steps may still follow.
