HAZEL DELL, Wash. (KGW) — The family of Jenoah Donald, a 30-year-old Black man on the autism spectrum who was shot and killed by Clark County Deputies in Feb. 2021, is filing a wrongful death lawsuit against the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.
Shortly after 7:30 p.m. on February 4, 2021, Clark County deputies were responding to the 6500 block of NW Jordan Way for a report of suspicious activity. Since June 2020, there had been than 40 calls for service to an address in the area, according to authorities.
While on the way to respond to the call, Deputy Sean Boyle noticed Donald’s bronze-colored Mercedes Benz leaving the area with a taillight out. Boyle pulled Donald over just north of the intersection of NE 2nd Avenue and 68th Street. Donald provided the deputy with his driver’s license but could not produce registration or insurance documents. While Boyle walked back to his car, deputy Troupe, one of the two other deputies who had responded to the traffic stop as back up, came up to the passenger side of Donald’s car.
Troupe told investigators she was concerned about a “ball-handled” object with a 3- to 4-inch sharpened “stake” on the end that was near the center console. Donald had a number of tools, including the screwdriver Troupe had seen, visible in the center portion of his vehicle, evidence photos later showed.
According to law enforcement, Troupe instructed Donald to keep his hands visible but he did not. Upon hearing deputy Troupe’s instruction to show his hands, Boyle walked back to the car and opened the driver’s side door and instructed Donald to get out of the car. He did not and Boyle grabbed his wrist and demanded he get out of the car. A struggle ensued between Donald, Boyle and Troupe. At this point, the third and final deputy, Greg Agar arrived on scene.
Boyle was interviewed five days after the incident while he was on leave. He said he warned that a K9 would be released and Donald would be bitten if he did not get out of the car. The struggle continued and Boyle punched Donald in the face. According to Boyle, Donald kicked him twice and grabbed his outer ballistic vest.
At some point during the confrontation, Donald’s vehicle was turned on. Authorities assert that Donald turned his vehicle on, while legal representation for Donald’s family asserts that Donald bumped the gear shift. The vehicle lurched forward, according to Agar’s interview. However, Boyle said the engine was revving and that he warned Donald multiple times if he did not stop, he would be shot.
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