Sheriff deputy shooting case moves to county attorney

CODY (WNE) — The investigation into the Park County deputy who shot and killed a male suspect in Powell during a traffic stop last year has been forwarded to the county attorney, said Charla Baugher Torczon, executive assistant at the Park County Sheriff’s Office.
 
In an email sent to the Cody Enterprise in October of last year, Torczon said the case would be submitted to the county attorney once it was completed by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.
 
According to that same email, once submitted to the county attorney, it will then be submitted to a special prosecutor for review.
 
No other information has been provided at this time.
 
The deputy-involved shooting occurred on Aug. 30 of last year as a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a male suspect who had an active warrant at the time of the traffic stop, according to the press release.
 
While conducting the traffic stop, the suspect attempted to flee down a canal road, but he stopped his vehicle and exited with his firearm pointed at the deputy.
 
He then charged the deputy, at which point the deputy fired shots, killing the suspect, the press release said.
 
“The deputy was forced to engage the male with lethal force and shots were fired,” the press release said.
 
The deputy was uninjured during the altercation.
 
Torczon said the Park County Sheriff’s Office will not release any other information until the entire process has been completed.
 
This story was published on Jan. 30, 2023.