© Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
There has been a flurry of information out Wednesday morning about former 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman, who was arrested early in the morning under investigation for potential charges of domestic violence residential burglary, DUI, hit-and-run and malicious mischief.
There was clarity and detail brought to the situation, which only contains a domestic violence due to the relationships involved, and based on the police breakdown of events, is much more a case of impaired and reckless driving.
Redmond, Washington Police chief Darrell Lowe and Washington State Patrol Captain Ron Mead held a joint press conference to provide detailed information on the arrest.
It began by Sherman allegedly driving his car into a construction site and crashing it into a median on a State Route 520 off ramp around 1 a.m. At that point, Mead said construction workers contacted police to report a possible impaired driver. The vehicle was driven off the exit ramp and parked.
According to Mead, there was significant damage to the driver’s side of the car, which has since been impounded. One of the tires of the vehicle nearly separated from the car and Mead said, “the vehicle was operated until it literally couldn’t operate any longer.”
Upon being called, police tracked down the vehicle, at which point they discovered it was registered to Sherman, and identified a relevant Redmond address which belongs to Sherman’s wife, Ashley Moss’s parents. Police erroneously stated initially that it was the address of Sherman’s ex-in-laws, which is incorrect.
Police do not know, but suspect that Sherman then walked to the Redmond address, at which point he had a verbal altercation with his in-laws, discernibly to get them to let him enter the home. After that, Sherman allegedly tried to break in through the front door, which is when his in-laws called the police. The damage caused to the door may result in charges for malicious mischief.
When police arrived, they allege their interaction with Sherman remained cordial for about 10 minutes as Mead said Sherman talked with an officer who knew Sherman formally from a valet job. When they told Sherman that he would be under arrest, that’s when they say his attitude changed and he resisted, which they allege resulted in minor injuries to two police officers. At that point in time, they deployed a K9 in order to aid the arrest of Sherman, which resulted in what they termed a “minor laceration” to Sherman’s leg.
Sherman has since been booked in King County Correctional Facility in Seattle. Police confirmed that Sherman will remain there at least until he appears in court for the first time tomorrow, when he will be formally charged.
Sherman’s wife, Ashley Moss told the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta that no one was harmed in the incident.
“At this time we’re going to make no statements, except he didn’t harm anybody,” Moss said. “My kids were not harmed in the incident. He’s a good person and this is not his character. We’re doing all right, just trying to get him out. I want people to know no one was injured.”
Police confirmed that, saying that the reason the charge of “domestic violence residential burglary” is involved is due to the relationship between Sherman and his in-laws. They said no one in the home or in Sherman’s family was harmed during the incident and no physical contact was made. But because of that distinction, Sherman has to meet with a judge before a bail can be set, thus the overnight stay.
UPDATE: According to Gregg Bell of the Seattle News Tribune, Sherman has been released from King County Correctional Facility without bail and will have to reappear in court at 8:30 a.m. on Friday for a second hearing on four charges.
King County judge releases Richard Sherman without bail. He must appear in court tomorrow 8:30am for a second hearing on four charges, gross misdemeanors and misdemeanors @thenewstribune
— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) July 15, 2021
Police released a case report and 9-1-1 calls from the night of Sherman’s arrest. The report states that they were alerted at 11:38 p.m. on Tuesday night that Sherman was suicidal and had been drinking. There was another update dispatched to officers at 1:21 a.m. saying that Sherman had threatened “suicide by cop.” Due to that information, which said that Sherman “had mentioned taking an officer’s service weapon,” the report states that officers approached the situation with caution and without lethal weapons.
The report reads that Sherman was bear sprayed by someone in the residence and for that reason, officers did not feel comfortable utilizing tazers to arrest Sherman. They instead tried unsuccessfully to employ a K9 on Sherman’s upper leg. Then the K9 was employed to bite Sherman on the calf. Sherman’s left foot sustained a laceration.
After meeting with the judge on Thursday, Sherman was, as mentioned above, released without bail, and not charged with any felonies.
He is instead faces four misdemeanor charges of criminal trespass (with a domestic violence designation due to the involvement of family), malicious mischief, DUI and resisting arrest.
The judge stated, “Mr. Sherman is a pillar in this community, he’s a business owner, he’s a husband, he’s a father,” according to Amy Dash of CBS Sports Radio.
State is not asking for a burglary charge against Richard Sherman. It downgraded booking to a charge of criminal trespass which is a misdemeanor. He faces 1 count of these misdemeanors: criminal trespass (domestic violence designation), malicious mischief, DUI & resisting arrest
— Amy Dash (@AmyDashTV) July 15, 2021