City of Bremerton assistant attorney charged with third-degree assault and DUI

Casey C. Pence allegedly kicked a state trooper after having a BAC of .224

An assistant attorney for the City of Bremerton was charged Tuesday in Kitsap County Superior Court for third-degree assault and DUI after allegedly kicking a state trooper in the chest after being arrested Monday.

Casey C. Pence, 58, was initially arrested for a DUI after being involved in a two-car collision at the four-way intersection of Lebo Blvd. and Wheaton Way in Bremerton. Bremerton Police first responded to the scene, but officers advised that Washington State Patrol handle the incident after finding out Pence was a city employee, according to the court documents.

When a trooper approached her vehicle, Pence was allegedly found passed out in the driver’s seat. After opening her door, the trooper smelled a “strong and obvious odor of intoxicants coming from the vehicle.” Pence then advised that she was driving from a dentist’s appointment and was given a lot of medication before getting into the car accident, according to documents.

Pence also stated she had two drinks, was given oxygen and nitrogen at the dentist, and was taking medication for nerve pain and muscle relaxers. After conducting several sobriety tests, the trooper determined that Pence was at a “high level of intoxication.” A preliminary breath test showed her blood-alcohol concentration to be .224, nearly three times the legal limit.

Pence was then placed under arrest for DUI and appeared to have mood swings, going from being cooperative to angry, documents read. A Kitsap District Court Judge granted the trooper a warrant for Pence’s blood to be taken at Bremerton Harrison Hospital.

Once inside the hospital, the trooper alleges that Pence became “more and more verbally abusive.” As the trooper was removing her handcuffs to conduct the blood draw, Pence began flailing her arms around, knocking the handcuffs to the ground and raising her arms up with her fists balled as if she wanted to fight, according to the trooper’s report.

After Pence sat back down, she then allegedly raised one of her legs and kicked a trooper in the chest and stood up in a fighting stance once again. After being detained, Pence then apologized to the trooper she kicked, stating she was trying to kick the other trooper, documents say.

A blood draw was performed and Pence was booked into Kitsap County Jail.