Spokane County Sheriff's sergeant fired over violent arrest of man in 2023

(The Center Square) – The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office announced the firing of Sgt. Clay Hilton on Tuesday, following an internal investigation and charges being filed against him in Yakima County.

Sheriff John Nowels issued a statement after meeting with Hilton over the Aug. 14, 2023, incident . He noted that Hilton’s conduct was “clearly outside of policy,” ultimately leading to the Yakima County Prosecutor's Office filing charges against him for assault and falsifying a police report

“As this case continues through the criminal court proceedings, we will not comment further as it would be inappropriate and disrespectful to the court process,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

Hilton has been on paid administrative leave since last year after he left 63-year-old Kevin Hinton with several broken ribs, a punctured lung and facial lacerations. He initially approached Hinton, saying he couldn’t be in that area at night, but later claimed in his report that Hinton reached for a knife.

Last month, Hinton filed a lawsuit against the Sheriff’s Office, Hilton and others for the incident. Shortly after, Yakima County announced it would also file felony and misdemeanor charges against Hilton for assault in the second degree and falsifying a police report.

“After reviewing the internal investigation, I believe it clearly showed some members of the Sheriff’s Office, including supervisors, did not live up to the standards of conduct of the Sheriff’s Office during and after this incident,” Nowels wrote in the release. “I imposed discipline on those members at a level I believe is appropriate, including the significant step of terminating Mr. Hilton’s employment.”

The sheriff reaffirmed the department’s policy in reviewing all uses of force, which he implemented after the incident. According to the release, Hilton does have the right to appeal his termination and defend himself against the charges.

The Sheriff’s Office declined further comment regarding Hinton’s lawsuit as well.

“I assure the citizens of Spokane County that we will continue to strive for excellence in our policing and hold ourselves to the high standards they expect,” Nowels wrote. “We will also hold accountable those who violate the public’s trust and confidence placed in us as law enforcement professionals.”