July 14, 2025
Graham, Wash. – Over the weekend, Washington State Patrol (WSP) Troopers responded to a serious injury collision in Graham, Washington, which resulted in the arrest of Chadwick Dickerson, an off-duty Major with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO).
On July 12, 2025, around 3:46 pm, Dickerson was off-duty and driving his personally owned black Dodge Ram truck northbound on 132nd Avenue East approaching the intersection at 288th Street East. As Dickerson entered the intersection, he collided with a white Ford Expedition that was driving west on 288th Street East. As a result of the collision, the Expedition rolled onto its passenger side, coming to rest in a ditch on the northwest corner of the intersection. Dickerson’s truck came to rest in the same ditch after the collision.
The collision occurred in unincorporated Pierce County, and as such, PCSO was dispatched to investigate. Pierce County Sheriff deputies were dispatched and arrived on the scene around 4:26 pm. To avoid a potential conflict of interest, after identifying the involvement of a member of their agency, PCSO requested WSP respond to handle the collision investigation at approximately 4:43 pm. Additionally, WSP was advised that all occupants of the Expedition were being transported by fire to local area hospitals as a precaution, and that Dickerson was taken to a local urgent care facility by a family member who contacted the scene after the collision. As a result, WSP Troopers were dispatched to both the collision scene and the urgent care to contact Dickerson.
Troopers arrived at the collision scene around 5:15 pm. They observed that all involved parties had been transported away from the scene for medical treatment, and all associated debris from the collision had been cleared out of the roadway. The remaining scene consisted of the two vehicles involved resting in the ditch, with the Expedition still resting on its passenger side. Deputies on scene provided information about the collision’s occurrence, including the identity of the causing driver and his association with PCSO. Troopers were also provided with information about the six occupants of the victim vehicle, the Expedition, which included a pregnant 27-year-old female driver, her 30-year-old husband, her 57-year-old mother, and her three children, ages 8, 4, and 3.
The scene was carefully documented by troopers, after which the vehicles were towed and the on-scene investigation was complete at that time.
While the on-scene investigation was taking place, troopers contacted Dickerson at the urgent care facility where a family member had transported him. While speaking with Dickerson about the collision, troopers noted several indicators of impairment, including bloodshot watery eyes, and a strong odor of intoxicants on his breath. Dickerson also admitted to having consumed alcoholic beverages earlier in the day. When asked if he would perform voluntary field sobriety tests, Dickerson refused.
Due to the signs of intoxication and the dynamics of the collision, troopers placed Dickerson under arrest for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) at 5:49 pm. A search warrant for a blood was applied for and approved by a judge, and the warrant was executed on Dickerson while at urgent care.
After troopers cleared the on-scene investigation and the search warrant had been executed, troopers contacted the occupants of the Expedition at Mary Bridge and Tacoma General hospitals. Upon contact, troopers were advised that the 57-year-old female passenger, identified as Debra Hunton, had suffered several broken bones as a result of the collision. However, the other occupants of the Expedition appeared to be uninjured. Due to the severe nature of the injuries sustained by one of the victims involved in the collision, Dickerson was placed under arrest for Vehicular Assault.
Dickerson also sustained injuries as a result of the collision, including several broken bones, and was transported to Tacoma General Hospital after his arrest. Once Dickerson was cleared from the hospital, he was booked into Pierce County Jail on the evening of Sunday, July 13, for Vehicular Assault.
Due to the changing nature of the incident, WSP recontacted the collision scene to do additional technical scene investigation.
This case is ongoing, and there are no further details at this time.
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