CLARK COUNTY, Wash. — Monday morning inside the Clark County courthouse began with opening statements in a murder trial stemming from the death of an off-duty Vancouver police officer who was mistakenly shot by a Clark County deputy.
A robbery suspect, 22-year-old Julio Segura, is charged in the murder for his alleged actions leading up to the deadly shooting.
The incident happened two years ago, just after 8 p.m. on January 29th, 2022. Segura, who was armed with a fake gun, is accused of robbing an east Vancouver gas station and then leading deputies on a high-speed chase in a stolen car.
After ditching the car, police drone video shows Segura running through the woods. He ended up outside the home of Donald Sahota and his wife. Sahota was an off-duty officer with the Vancouver Police Department.
“They are actually having a romantic dinner together — they are certainly not expecting anybody to be coming to their house,” said prosecuting attorney Tony Golik during Monday’s opening statements.
Sahota had grabbed his gun when he heard someone at the door. Before deputies arrived, Segura and Sahota got into a scuffle. Segura stabbed Sahota multiple times while Sahota was trying to arrest him. Defense attorney Ed Dunkerly argued that Segura did not know Sahota was an officer and that he was acting in self-defense.
“All he says is, 'I was confused, he said it one time, I couldn't tell ... he seemed like he might've had some training, I couldn't tell if he was a police officer,'” Dunkerly said during Monday’s opening statements.
The prosecuting attorney argued that Sahota did identify himself as an officer.
“Don Sahota, walking with his gun back like this," Golik said, holding his hand as if it couched a handgun, "tells the defendant that he is a police (officer), tells the defendant to get on the ground because he's arresting him. The defendant admits in his confession that Don Sahota identified himself as a police officer."
The defense argued that Sahota violated Vancouver Police Department policies by getting involved while off-duty.
“Off-duty police officers — not in their jurisdiction, not at all, but not in their jurisdiction — are not supported to get involved in anything unless it involves a threat to life,” said Dunkerly.
“Don Sahota, we'll never know exactly what was in his mind when he made that decision to try to arrest the defendant,” said Golik.
Once law enforcement got to the house, Clark County Deputy Jonathan Feller watched Sahota pick up his gun. He mistakenly thought he was the robbery suspect. He fired his gun, hitting and killing Sahota. Segura then surrendered and was arrested.
There is considerable video evidence in the case, so the jury will be able to watch what happened, along with hearing the three-hour long session where the defendant was questioned by police. The trial is expected to last for about three weeks.