Deschutes sheriff fires deputy over parking lot incident

Deschutes County Sheriff Shane Nelson on Thursday fired Deputy Bradley Wright for violating department policies, more than two months after a Christmas Eve incident in which the off-duty deputy reportedly grabbed and bruised a woman’s arm following a Christmas Eve fender-bender crash in the Bend Fred Meyer parking lot.

District Attorney John Hummel had filed a harassment charge in late January against Bradley Wright, 41, a K-9 handler who had been with the agency for nearly seven years.

But Hummel last month dropped the charge after Wright completed an early disposition program, including eight hours of community service shoveling snow.

Wright was placed on paid administrative leave two days after the incident, pending the outcome of the criminal investigation and an internal agency review.

Nelson said a review of the results of those investigations “found that Mr. Wright’s conduct violated several Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office policies.” He told NewsChannel 21 the policies pertained to ethics and professional standards, and sheriff’s office standards involving general conduct and violations of personal conduct.

“Those employees who do not subscribe to the mission and values of the sheriff’s office will no longer be a member of this agency,” Nelson said in a statement.