An off-duty Edmonds police officer was arrested and booked into Snohomish County Jail Monday following an alleged road-rage incident in Lynnwood involving the display of a gun.
The officer is 35-year-old Melinda Leen, according to court records. Edmonds police said she is a three-year veteran of the department.
Probable cause documents filed with Snohomish County District Court in Everett show that Lynnwood officers responded to call at 1:16 p.m. Monday after a male driver reported that a woman in a Subaru had pointed a pistol at him at 196th Street Southwest and 44th Avenue West.
Police said in court documents that officers were able to locate the Subaru at 44th Avenue West and 188th Street Southwest and detained the female driver, after which they discovered she was an off-duty Edmonds police officer. Police contacted the reporting party at his workplace and were told that he was exiting Interstate 5 southbound on 196th Street Southwest in Lynnwood when the Subaru driver “cut him off while almost hitting the median,” nearly pushing him off the road. “I didn’t see no blinker,” the man told police. The man further stated that when both vehicles were stopped at a traffic light on 196th and 44th, Leen “looked at me,” after which he “raised both hands in a state of confusion.” According to the reporting party, Leen “raised her hands as well in similar fashion,” then reached “under either her chair or her side door,” grabbed a pistol and pointed it at him.
“I couldn’t do anything because I was stuck, there was cars in front of me,” the man said.
Police then transported the man to the location of the traffic stop and positively identified Leen as the person who had pointed the pistol at him.
Leen was transported to Snohomish County Jail, where she was booked for second-degree assault.
Edmonds Police Chief Michelle Bennett said she was made aware of the arrest on Monday. “We take this matter very seriously and are cooperating fully with the investigation, which is being conducted by the Lynnwood Police Department,” Bennett said. “Our internal affairs investigation process has already begun, and the officer has been placed on administrative leave.”
Lynnwood police spokesperson Maren McKay said the department’s investigation of the incident is “active and ongoing.”
— By Teresa Wippel
Conduct unbecoming a officer for sure, if true I hope her employment is terminated.
Agree!
Thats a bummer. Definitely must go. I guess if she had pointed the weapon at another type of person she could very well be deceased right now. This is sad to me because so many from every walk of life are angry and dissatisfied. No lectures folks I am just so sad for all of Edmonds.
Reckless cops with guns are dangerous people and need to be held to fully account for their actions. They pose a particularly dangerous threat to public safety.,
I won’t be surprised if the man sues the city. This is just the kind of poor judgment by an officer that cost cities millions.
That is interesting. This occured in Lynnwood right? This policeperson was off duty. So does this mean that any officer in any city who does something against the law outside the city of their employment then that resident of another city can sue Edmonds? Why? I honestly don’t know but I do find that Matts comment is interesting and I would love to know how this works. Anyone? Do you know Matt? Ok just curious.