DA MIKE SCHMIDT ANNOUNCES RETIRED POLICE OFFICER PLED GUILTY TO ASSAULT, MISCONDUCT

Multnomah County District Attorney's Office

PORTLAND, Oregon – Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt announced that Scott Groshong, 52, pled guilty to Assault in the Third Degree and Official Misconduct in the First Degree. A Multnomah County Circuit Court judge sentenced him to three years of probation, 80 hours of community service, and a number of conditions including having his DPSST certification revoked. Now retired, Groshong was employed by the Portland Police Bureau and working in that capacity at the time of the incident.

During the initial investigation into this incident, which occurred in Portland, Oregon, and in the prosecutorial jurisdiction of this office, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office identified a conflict of interest.

To ensure full impartiality the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office requested assistance from the Marion County District Attorney’s Office and then appointed a Marion County Deputy District Attorney to have full and final responsibility on all aspects of this case.

The appointment of a deputy district attorney from an outside prosecutor’s office to represent the State of Oregon when a conflict is identified is routine practice for all of Oregon’s district attorneys.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred downtown during a mass demonstration in the area of Northwest 6th Avenue. Groshong was working undercover surveillance during a protest and driving an unmarked van at the time. He observed Portland Skate and Snowboard Shop being burglarized. 

Groshong observed one man take an item and run across the street. Groshong recklessly drove his vehicle into the man, striking him and causing him a serious physical injury. This occurred near the intersection of Northwest 9th Avenue and Northwest Davis Street. The incident was caught on video by a resident in the area. Groshong then failed to report the collision that caused injury to the man, either to a supervisor, in his police report, or to the Department of Motor Vehicles. 

The case against the individual for taking the item was referred to the Columbia County District Attorney’s Office at the request of Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt. It is currently under investigation. 

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office thanks the Marion County District Attorney’s Office, specifically Deputy District Attorney Katie Suver as well as the Salem Police Department, as well as their employees, for their work on this case.