2010062403

Two More NC State Troopers Leave Jobs After Additional Allegations

By Richard Saunders, The Raleigh Telegram

Monday, June 28, 2010

RALEIGH - In the past week, two more North Carolina State Highway Patrol officers have left their jobs after one trooper was alleged to have sent inappropriate texts to a female co-worker and another was arrested on DUI and hit and run charges.

The recent problems reflect a string of several recent high profile incidents involving NC State Troopers that have led to the officers leaving the force.

Highway Patrol Major Everett Clendenin, who has been a state trooper since 1988, resigned last week amid allegations that he acted inappropriately at work.

Major Clendenin had served as the spokesman for the highway patrol and had even appeared in the media recently to comment on cases involving other troopers.

According to various media outlets, Clendenin resigned last Wednesday after an internal investigation was initiated by the highway patrol.

In a statement by Clendenin sent out to media, he said that he resigned due to “poor judgment” after evidently sending inappropriate text or email messages to a female co-worker.

“I have used poor judgment concerning a matter, however I have not engaged in a sexual relationship with a co-worker,” Clendenin said in the statement. “I have apologized to Col. Glover for the embarrassment my actions have caused.”

The text or emails have not been released but Clendenin is not alleged to have committed any crimes.

On Friday, another NC State Trooper left the organization after he was arrested and charged with traffic violations.

According to the NC Highway Patrol, Trooper Timothy S. Stiwinter resigned on Friday, June 25th. The patrol says that Stiwinter was been employed with highway patrol since 1999 and was assigned to the Troop G District 3 Hendersonville Patrol Office.

“At approximately 11:45pm [Thursday], Trooper Stiwinter, who was off duty, was involved in a motor vehicle collision at the intersection of Airport Road and Fanning Bridge Road in Buncombe County,” said the highway patrol in a released statement.

According to the patrol, Stiwinter was arrested by the Asheville Police Department and charged with driving under the influence and felony hit and run. Police say he was processed at the Buncombe County Sheriffs Office.

Other recent cases that have involved alleged misconduct by NC Highway Patrol Troopers include an officer who is alleged to have targeted young women and coerced them to perform sexual acts while on duty.

Recently, police officers in Butner as well as a NC State Trooper lost their jobs when a highway patrol officer was let go after being pulled over for allegedly driving drunk.

In yet another high profile case this year, a state trooper is seeking to be reinstated to his job this year after he was fired when he was convicted in December on animal cruelty charges. The state trooper shot and killed a neighbor’s kitten that was on his property.

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