WALLA WALLA — Walla Walla’s city attorney said he won’t file criminal charges against a top sheriff’s deputy under investigation for injuring his 15-year-old son.
City Attorney Tim Donaldson said Gerrod Martin was using “reasonable and moderate force” to control a child and an assault charge wasn’t warranted. The teen suffered a wrist sprain.
The Walla Walla Union-Bulletin said Martin declined comment on Donaldson’s ruling other than to say he’s “happy to serve the citizens of this county.” Martin is the county’s chief operations deputy.
Father and son argued because the teen wasn’t supposed to be at a school softball game on May 1. The boy resisted when Martin tried to take him home. The deputy gripped the boy’s wrist in an “escort hold” and used another hold on him.
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