Franklin County decided to settle a lawsuit by the family of an unarmed, ex-Marine killed in 2018 by a Franklin County sheriff’s deputy for $1.75 million rather than risk a jury trial. The wrongful death award was reported recently in the Tri-City Herald.

The family had filed a $5 million claim and the county’s defense would have had to rely on inconclusive evidence and the testimony of a deputy with a history that included pulling a gun on the wrong motorcyclist and recklessly endangering citizens during a 30-minute pursuit of a driver who had committed a minor traffic infraction.

According to the Herald, County Administrator Mike Gonzalez said that a jury trial could have resulted in a higher award and they owed it to the taxpayers to come to a fast resolution.

The deputy’s statement

The deputy, Cody Quantrell, claimed in interviews included in the official investigation report that he feared for his life as he held his firearm in his right hand and reached into Dante Jones’ vehicle to turn off the ignition with his left hand and was partially trapped when Jones pushed the accelerator. 

Physical evidence pictured and described in the Special Investigations Unit report – including the location of the shell casings from Quantrell’s firearm and the trajectory of the bullets that struck Jones -– cast doubts on the deputy’s story.

The Observer obtained the investigation report in 2020 through the Washington Public Record Act.

Jones suffered from mental health issues after he left the Marine Corps. On the night he was killed he had methamphetamine in his system, records show.

Evidence raised questions about deputy’s statements

After an on-again, off-again, middle-of-the-night car chase on County Road 170 in rural Franklin County on November 18, 2019, Quantrell said he shot the unarmed Jones four times when he became trapped in Jones’ car.

Quantrell had ignored Sergeant Gordon Thomassons “terminate the pursuit command”
and continued to pursue Jones after he had slowed to the speed limit, records show.

When Jones backed his car up to Quantrell’s, the deputy “exited his vehicle and drew his gun,” according to the investigation report.

Radio traffic reports show that shots were fired 31 seconds later.

The questions the Observer reported in June 2020, based on the SIU report, were later raised in the family’s lawsuit. 

Why were three of the four shell casings from Quantrell’s weapon in the road if he was trapped in Jones’ vehicle when the shooting occurred?  Why did the Washington State Patrol Crime Scene Response Team conclude that the shots that struck Jones were fired “from the open passenger door/window while he was in the driver seat?”

Deputies did not have body cameras or dashboard cameras at the time.

The deputy’s history

The deputy’s history didn’t help his credibility. The shooting wasn’t the first time Quantrell had run into trouble as a law enforcement officer. Documents the Observer obtained in 2020 from the Toppenish Police Department, Quantrell’s previous employer, showed problems there. 

Toppenish Police Chief Curtis Ruggles had counseled Quantrell on May 18, 2018, about a list of infractions.

In the counseling memo Ruggles wrote about Quantrell pulling the gun on the wrong suspect, “I do not feel the force option of drawing your duty weapon and bringing on target was reasonable or necessary for that time and that place. That aside, the tactic of you advancing on the suspect with your weapon drawn, without cover officers being present is not a tactic that has been trained at this department or even a tactic that is safe.”

He continued, “What you did is considered ‘Tombstone Courage’ and that behavior has resulted in injuries and even death in police officers nationwide.”

Ruggles also described a reckless, 30-minute pursuit for a minor traffic infraction where Quantrell endangered lives and ran through traffic barriers and damaged his patrol car.

Less than two months later, on July 16, 2018, Quantrell was hired to be a Franklin County Deputy.

Deputy has more problems after shooting

On October 13, 2020, less than a year after Jones was killed, Sheriff Jim Raymond reprimanded Quantrell for his behavior during a traffic stop for “questionable verbal behavior and non-verbal actions occurring during a traffic stop. Behavior calling into question your decision making skills and professionalism.”

Raymond wrote in Quantrell’s December 2020 performance review, “Deputy Quantrell needs to improve on his delivery style while contacting the public.”

Raymond noted in the review that Quantrell had received numerous citizen complaints.

The review concluded that Quantrell “meets standards.”

According to Raymond in an email to the Observer, Quantrell is still a Franklin County deputy.

Wrongdoing

In early July 2021, Franklin County Prosecutor Shawn Sant determined that Quantrell was justified in shooting Jones.

According to the Herald, as part of the settlement, neither side admits to wrongdoing.

Statement from attorney and the family

In a prepared statement provided to the Observer, Attorney Brian Davis said, “I only hope that this incident serves as a reminder that the mental health of our veterans must be properly addressed, and de-escalation measures be taken to avoid a tragic event that impacts everyone involved, including Officer Quantrell, who served in the United States Army.” 

Jones’ father, Donald Jones, said, “We hope to set up a foundation for Dante as a reminder that our veterans need our continued support in dealing with their mental health.”