Somebody just crashed into a pole. >> Okay, what address is this at? >> Um but it's on 288 right past my house. >> Okay, and what is it closest to? Do you know the closest cross street of where it's at? >> Hang on, I'll get there in a minute. >> Okay. >> A crash just occurred at the intersection of 288th and 132nd in Graham, Washington when a vehicle carrying three adults and three young children, including a woman 7 months pregnant, had been hit so hard it ended up on its side in the dirt. >> We have shoes for him? >> Uh there's Brian or Brian's here in there. >> Oh, probably mom did. >> Yes, he did. >> Okay. We'll see. Oh, there we go. Oh. >> Does Bryce need mine? >> You guys taking off? Okay. So off the road. >> Might have to get my >> Oh. >> plugs and all that [ __ ] picked up. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> I just wanted to help. I didn't want to keep you in the middle of the road. What's that? >> I didn't want him to knock me over. >> Mhm. Yeah. Yeah, got to get it while I can. Yeah. >> Who's the boss person? >> Uh that would be >> Who's in charge? >> He's in that car. I'm not sure he where he went. Um shaved head. >> Okay, oh Luke? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> Uh so he's Luke's the boss, so Luke's over there. Um all right. We're just a kind of at the point of figuring out what you guys need to help you out and get traffic through here or just get the hell out of the way. You know what I mean? >> Yeah, um I think they were trying to see if we were going to have one of our traffic units come out or not, but I think we have enough to do traffic control here. There's >> Engine 96. >> As first responders arrived, they find a debris field and the driver of the black Ram 2500 who appears dazed but is able to exit his vehicle. The scene takes a complicated turn when deputies identify the driver. He isn't a stranger to them. He is Major Chadwick Dickerson, a 24-year veteran and high-ranking officer within their own department. >> So, did you talk to Baker or anything? >> So, Chad's driving the truck. He's going north. What was this outside? White Expedition is coming in east to west from grandma and grandpa's house. He's wearing a white long sleeve. And hit him right >> Is he dead? >> No. >> Is anybody going to die? >> Not that I'm aware of. They've got a 7 >> He's in his personal car, right? >> Correct. >> Why are Why aren't we just treating this like a crime? >> Uh, the assault? >> No. >> It's what it is. >> How? >> He just ran a stop sign. It's not reckless. >> I mean, I have an option. >> So, I'll I'll go talk to him. I'll go talk to him. Hey, dear. You okay? You're You're okay? >> Chad. He's the only one who's in the car. >> Okay. Um >> I'm rolling. >> I am, too. >> Okay. >> Oh, sir. >> Can you do me a favor and send the phone number to your insurance stuff to my son? >> Yeah, absolutely. I will run down there right now and take a picture of it, okay? >> Yeah, just give it to >> Are you the son? >> You want >> Okay, I will go get that. >> How bad are injuries? >> Uh, three got transported. >> Okay. >> Good Sam and then, um >> Like, what are the extent of the injuries? I mean, broken >> no, no, nothing life-threatening. One of the gals was uh 7 months pregnant. So, I think it's mainly precautionary. >> Okay. >> So, yeah. >> So, nothing broken? >> Nothing obvious. Yeah, that I I gathered, but they were you know, there was When I first got here, they they weren't here very long before they rolled. So, I didn't get a good assessment. We were trying to figure out how many people were here cuz family members were here. So, there ended up being seven people total in the in the that >> In that car? >> Yeah. >> So, he's in his personal car. >> Yep. >> He's not on duty. >> Nope. And it's just a >> Is there any sign >> Paramount or anything? >> From uh new From he's headed from Hey, Brett. >> I'm good. How are you? >> All right. >> Yeah. >> We're all good. >> It's been real good. >> Yeah, yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Seems good. Uh So, he's going from north to south Didn't see Here, there's no controller no stop sign. So, I was I was locked in, focused on the >> On the road ahead. >> The road ahead. >> Okay. >> There was no stop sign, so I just space out there. >> There's a big ass dip back there. So, you have to slow down, so it wasn't going very fast. >> Okay. >> So, where are we taking him then to go on cuz he said his ribs are sore? >> I'm going to go to Good Sam. >> Yeah. >> 132nd Street. >> Is Kim taking you? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> But uh Kim went down to get the insurance card for you. Cuz it's all on the the phone. Okay. So, I'm just going to get his phone service get the insurance card from the American family. >> golf club he lost his driver and uh >> Lost my My driver My driver broke. The head was in the bag. >> Oh. >> Covered that. >> Yeah, that There's a piece of some some club. >> It's like a driver. >> So, >> It's a rough way to get new clubs. >> Yeah. Yeah. I don't I don't smell anything. I don't I that's why I wanted to have this conversation. That's why I was hoping he didn't walk out. >> I'm sorry. >> Um I'll I'll be right back. >> So I don't I don't see any signs of impairment. Did anybody say anything when they got here about possibility of impairment? >> Uh no. I I I didn't. I don't have anything going on now. Like >> Cuz I mean it's >> I'm not a I'm not a subject of a driver. >> Beyond beyond that beyond that it's just a it's just a crash. I mean it's injury but you know I I don't know how they want to work this if since he's a major if they want state patrol to come out and do this. >> I suggested to Calvin but um But I when I talked to Gregory he's like we can handle it so >> What do you I'm going to I'll call Jake. I'm here at this crash um with uh Major Dickerson. I don't I don't see any signs of impairment on him at all. He's he doesn't smell like anything. He's walking just fine. He's talking just fine. I don't sense of any sort of issues. He sounds just fine and there's no I like I got super close to him and smelled. I don't smell anything coming off of him. Um I think he just there's no stop sign. I think he just wasn't paying attention and and caused a crash. However, with his position the way he is and to make sure it's done right I I'm going to suggest having state come out and just do a report. That way if they since he's in an ad you know in the command staff having state come out if they want to take enforcement action they can take enforcement action and we don't have to be put in that place. And we we we as in we as in deputies, I mean. So. Okay, I will I will have a state patrol sergeant call me and see if they're willing to do that. >> Because of Dickerson's senior rank, the Washington State Patrol is called in to take over the investigation. What began as a standard accident response quickly shifts into a DUI vehicular assault inquiry, but the handover is anything but smooth. By the time state troopers arrive, Dickerson has already been allowed to leave the scene with family members and the critical debris field essential for reconstructing the crash has been completely cleared away. >> I'm Trooper Robertson. >> Nice to meet you, sir. >> Nice to meet you. Tell me what happened. >> I was I dropped my buddy off at his house. Driving north on 132nd Avenue. I was looking at the road ahead. I knew I knew 288 was near there. >> Can you walk on this way a little bit? >> I was I knew that 288 was near there, but I was like completely just focused on the road ahead thinking, "I'm going to go that way this time." And I freaking just drove right through there. There's no stop sign there and I just drove it straight through the intersection and I got T-boned. >> So, 288? >> Yeah, 288 and 132nd Avenue. >> Pierce County still there. They're waiting for you, I think. >> Yeah, our guy ended up showing up. So, um like I said, as you know, I'm recording, okay? Um you're the one in the car? >> Yeah. >> Well, let's go over there, sir. Um you got any injuries? >> Yeah, my back's [snorts] hurt. >> Anything else hurting on you? >> No, that's it. Just my like my kidneys and ribs back here. >> Okay. And you were the one in the truck, yeah? You had a truck, right? >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, you said you just dropped your buddy off? >> my buddy off. We played golf this morning. >> Where'd you play? >> Um Eagle's Pride. >> Oh, yeah. How'd you do? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Uh 346. >> 346? >> I had my phone call 911, so. >> Okay. And then so you're heading home from Eagles Pride. >> No, I was heading home from his house. He lives >> Okay, you dropped him off. >> at the south end of 132nd Avenue. And once I turned around and came back up, I approached There's a big ass dip like on his road. So I'm I crossed the dip pretty slow. >> Yeah. >> And then as I'm approaching like where well I realize now where with the intersection was. I was looking ahead and like I'm going to go that way. I've never been that way before. And I just like totally didn't even think about stopping. I was like so focused on that street and I just drove right through the intersection and >> Okay. You were wearing your seat belt? >> wearing my seat belt. My airbags deployed. >> Okay. >> My truck's sitting in the ditch and the other people who were in the car, the other car, I got out. Came over. There was another guy who um like a neighbor or somebody who lived around there that came over, broke the windshield out, got the other people out. So >> Okay. And how many beers did you have today? >> I didn't have any beers today. >> Yeah, is it is it there >> No beers. >> Okay. Any hard drinks? >> What were you drinking? >> Um I had two vodka and sodas. >> How long ago? >> One in the front and one in the back. >> Doubles? >> Um I didn't buy them so I don't know what I got. >> Okay. So two vodka sodas. When do you think your last one was? >> We finished it probably 2:00 something. 1:30 somewhere around there. So probably about 1:00. >> 1:00? >> Yes, yeah. >> Is that your last drink? >> Yeah. >> And you just had the two? Okay. >> Are you going to read me my rights cuz you're asking me any incriminating questions as well? >> Well I know I know I know you work for the county. You know I have to come here and do my job. >> I understand that. I don't I don't feel like I was impaired. >> Okay. So I am going to ask you though if you're willing to perform voluntary field sobriety test. >> No. >> Okay. >> I my blood pressure is 98 over 55. I'm not going to perform a field sobriety test, so >> Okay. So >> And I'm my back's hurting, >> I'm not trying to be a jerk. >> Hey. I get it. You got to do the same thing. So, they're going to scan you, obviously. Okay. >> I'm going to [snorts] get a CT scan. >> going to be under arrest for DUI. Okay. >> What are you What's your probable cause? >> Well, I can smell alcohol coming from you. Okay. You do have bloodshot eyes. Okay. >> Okay. >> You know how it works. I'm not going to put you in handcuffs. >> Okay. Appreciate it. >> Okay. I'm going to let you do your thing. >> here. I've got a driver out front with me, so >> Well, we got to figure it all out. >> Okay. >> Okay. Uh main thing is nobody got seriously hurt, it sounds like, so far, as far as we know. Okay. But >> I get it. >> you are under arrest for DUI. >> Thank you. >> For now. Okay? >> Yes, sir. >> All right. I don't know if it'll fit in there or not. And then just keep in mind the cameras are in here as well. Ooh, that didn't get your leg, did I? It's going to suck. I can grab it for you if you Did you get it? Yeah, I got an extender here. It'll be kind of weird for a second, okay? I'll get some air going. >> Day one of my 13th year. >> Okay. Nice. Congratulations. >> Thank you. >> And what is your current role? >> I'm a technical collision investigator with our traffic unit. >> Um kind of got a a brief from him about what had transpired, and that's when he told me that I think seven people had been transported, uh to include a pregnant female. Um and that's kind of when I was like, I think we should I think we should call somebody else. Um and that's kind of where my my head started to go, um just because of the the nature of of what had transpired. And so, uh I talked to I think Chad came over. He came walking over to us. Um, talked to us for a little bit. Um Sergeant Baker and I walked away. Um, and that's when him and I had the discussion of like, I think I state patrol needs to be called out to this one. This is this is something that that they need to to handle. >> [clears throat] >> And what investigative actions did you take today? >> None. Um, well take that >> [clears throat] >> You guys can decide whether you think this is investigative or not. My my uh my plan was not to do any investigating. Um, after looking at the cars, um, hearing about how many people were transported, especially that one was pregnant, um, I came to the decision in my head that we were going to turn this we needed to turn it over to an outside agency. So, I didn't take any investigative action. Um, but in my report I did, um, after the fact, when I wrote my report, I did put in my observations of Chad at the scene, but I didn't conduct any investigation at the scene [clears throat] cuz I I had already made the decision that we were going to turn it over to you. >> As for Dickerson, the prosecutor's office did not object to his defense attorney's request to have him released from custody while prosecutors review the case. >> Despite the presence of multiple deputies, there is no body camera footage of the initial encounter or his detainment. One sergeant's camera was manually turned off for 14 minutes while he spoke with the major. Another deputy's camera recorded only a few inadvertent seconds. Data later retrieved from the Ram's black box reveals a startling detail. In the split second before impact, instead of braking, Dickerson's accelerator was depressed to 73%. When troopers finally caught up with him at an urgent care facility 4 hours later, his blood alcohol level was still .091, well over the legal limit. In October, just two days after being formally charged with two counts of vehicular assault, Major Dickerson retired from the force. He has since pleaded not guilty, and while his trial was scheduled for early 2026, the case has ignited an internal probe into the deputies who were there that day, questioning if the blue wall was used to protect one of their own while a family sat injured in the ditch. >> A Pierce County Sheriff's Office major has pleaded guilty to vehicular assault. >> On April 15th, 2026, the legal battle came to an abrupt end when Chad Dickerson changed his plea to guilty for two counts of vehicular assault. He has been sentenced to serve three months in jail, followed by 12 months of probation.