Thurston County deputy involved in non-injury shooting identified

On Monday afternoon, the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office released the name of the deputy involved in last week’s officer-involved shooting.

Deputy Per Perez remains on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation that’s being conducted by the Regional Critical Incident Team, according to Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Sgt. Carla Carter. He has been with the office for one year, and has three additional years of law enforcement experience, Carter said.

Nobody was injured when Perez fired a shot at a suspect who was driving toward him early Friday morning, according to a Sheriff’s Office news release.

Bail was set at $40,000 for the suspect, Michael Calder, 34, of Shelton. He appeared in Thurston County Superior Court on Friday afternoon on second degree assault, attempt to elude a police vehicle and possession of a stolen vehicle. Arraignment was set for April 19.

According to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office and court documents: Deputy Perez observed a vehicle speeding near Second Avenue and Old Highway 410 Northwest near Mud Bay about 3:30 a.m. Friday. When the deputy signaled for the driver to stop, the driver sped away.

The pursuit went northbound for about 2 miles, and stopped when the suspect’s vehicle came to a dead end in a driveway in the 7000 block of Old Highway 410. Perez blocked the exit with his car and left his vehicle to make the arrest.

“As Deputy Perez was standing behind the car, the driver accelerated in reverse and then performed a ‘J Turn’ with the vehicle now facing Deputy Perez,” deputy prosecuting attorney Scott Jackson wrote in the affidavit of probable cause. “The driver put the vehicle into the drive position, and the wheels began to spin; the vehicle accelerated toward Deputy Perez, who feared for his life.”

Calder was not hit when Perez fired his gun; afterward, he complied with the deputy’s commands, officials say.

“During a search of Calder, several shaved vehicle keys were located in his possession,” Jackson wrote.

In addition, the vehicle Calder was driving, a gray Honda Accord, was reported stolen from a Mason County home a few hours later, officials say.

The investigation is being done by the Regional Critical Incident Team, which is made up of detectives from Lewis, Mason and Grays Harbor counties and the Washington State Patrol, Carter said. It’s being led by Mason County detectives and will look into whether Perez’s actions and use of force were appropriate, according to chief deputy Ryan Spurling.

Thurston County Sheriff’s Office is not part of the investigating team.

This story was originally published April 11, 2016 at 6:14 PM with the headline "Thurston County deputy involved in non-injury shooting identified."