Superintendent issues apology for DUI arrest

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn apologized Thursday for his weekend drunken driving arrest, pledging to "never make this mistake again."

Dorn was cited for driving under the influence early Sunday morning after an officer pulled him over in Orting for speeding and for a defective taillight. He was charged Wednesday with one count of driving under the influence.

Dorn said in a statement Thursday that prior to his arrest, he and his wife and sons were attending the annual crab feed and dance Saturday night at the Swiss Sportsman Club Park in Bonney Lake. He drank beer with dinner at the event, he said.

Dorn said he stayed late to help clean up and thought he was capable of driving home.

“I now know that drinking any amount of alcohol before driving is an extremely poor choice,” Dorn said.

“I work hard every day for the schoolchildren of this state, and it pains me deeply that I have not set a good example for them. I will work hard to earn back your trust.”

Orting officials released the full police report from Dorn’s arrest Thursday, two days after The News Tribune asked for it in a public records request.

Dorn’s attorney requested the release of the documents, Dorn said in his statement.

Dorn cooperated with the officer who administered the field sobriety tests, according to the report, and there’s no indication that he ever identified himself as the state superintendent of public instruction while in custody.

Later, the arresting officer suspected Dorn of trying to delay taking an official breath test by asking repeatedly to use the bathroom, he wrote in the report.

The report says Dorn was given nearly an hour after his arrest to find an attorney, then requested twice to use the restroom in the middle of the blood-alcohol testing process. Dorn’s requests were less than 30 minutes apart, according to the report.

“Through my experience, I have observed DUI offenders use the restroom during the process as a tactic to buy time,” wrote officer Branden Porter. “When DUI offenders are allowed to use the restroom in the middle of the process, it requires the officer to start the 15-minute observation period over. This gives the offender more time for their BAC to become lower.”

When Dorn finally took the breath test about 3 a.m., his blood-alcohol content tested at 0.11 percent. The legal limit for drivers in Washington is 0.08.

After the test, Dorn didn’t ask again to use the restroom, the officer wrote.

Porter pulled Dorn over about 1:15 a.m. for driving 46 mph in a 35 mph zone, the report says. Additionally, a taillight was out on his 2006 Toyota Prius.

When Porter approached Dorn, he smelled alcohol and saw that Dorn’s eyes were watery and bloodshot, he wrote. Dorn then reportedly failed a pair of field-sobriety tests and a preliminary breath test.

While being escorted to the back of the police car, Dorn “appeared off balance and stumbled over the curb and almost lost his balance,” Porter wrote.

The 56-year-old Eatonville resident was then arrested.

“When I asked Dorn if he understood his rights, he asked me to read them slower, so I did,” Porter wrote.

Dorn’s vehicle and a passenger in the car – whom the police report did not identify – were both released to a sober driver.

As Dorn was being transported to the police station, “he filled my patrol vehicle with the strong odor of intoxicants,” the officer wrote.

A News Tribune review of Washington court records showed that Dorn has no other DUIs and no criminal history.

In his statement Thursday, Dorn said he’s been working this week in his normal capacity as head of K-12 education, including a meeting with the governor Thursday morning. He said he and his wife will take a long-planned spring break vacation next week.

His arraignment in Orting Municipal Court is scheduled for April 2.

Dorn declined to be interviewed Thursday regarding the details of the police report, said Nathan Olson, spokesman for Dorn’s office. Calls to Dorn’s home Wednesday and Thursday weren’t returned.

Melissa Santos: 253-552-7058

melissa.santos@thenewstribune.com