PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Washington State Patrol trooper Randall Cashatt was on duty on Valentine’s Day in 2017, driving in the Columbia River Gorge, when the symptoms started. His chest burned and his heart beat rapidly increased. He thought he was having a heart attack.
Cashatt then headed toward Skyline Hospital in White Salmon where his wife worked. His vision waned and his consciousness slipped.
“I remember thinking I was going to die,” Cashatt recalled. “So at least I could go to my wife’s office (and) I could say goodbye to my wife.”
Cashatt, a 20-year trooper veteran, survived what turned out to be symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, but he’s not the only WSP trooper that experienced this. Cashatt and two other troopers, Austin Lauer and Jeffrey Heath, have joined David Hodel in filing tort claims against WSP. They accused the agency of knowing of the carbon monoxide risk from faulty exhaust systems inside their fleet’s patrol cars and not doing enough about it.
WSP eventually put in home carbon monoxide alarms inside the patrol vehicles, but the Department of Labor and Industries’ inspection report deemed them “inappropriate.”
In July, the Department of Labor and Industries installed “appropriate” carbon monoxide detectors in the troopers’ vehicles. Between then and Aug. 31, the alarms were triggered 50 times for unsafe exposure to carbon monoxide.
“All of these vehicles have been taken to Ford dealerships and major exhaust problems were discovered,” the inspection report said.
Ford released a statement in response to the carbon-monoxide related issues in WSP’s patrol vehicles.
Safety is one of our top priorities. Ford has investigated and determined that carbon monoxide concerns in Police Interceptor Utilities are related to unsealed holes from the installation of police equipment by third parties after the vehicle was purchased or caused by extreme damage. All of our testing to date has not shown cracked manifolds contributing to the carbon monoxide levels in Police Interceptor Utilities.
After conducting an investigation, the state’s Department of Labor and Industries cited WSP for three violations. Josephine Townsend, the lawyer representing the four troopers, as filed four, $1 million tort claims against WSP, which could lead to future lawsuits. They also believe many other troopers were affected.
Cashatt, however, said the money isn’t the point behind the tort claims.
“Money is not an issue — it’s the furthest thing from my mind,” Cashatt said. “I stood up because I don’t want this to happen to anybody else.”
Cashatt also claims the carbon-monoxide-related symptoms he experienced, and the time he spent back in the patrol vehicle with inappropriate alarms, left him with lasting health problems.
“Them knowingly putting me back in that car for one year (and it) ruined my career in law enforcement,” said Cashatt, who is currently on sick leave. “I’ve been told by my doctor I will never be a police officer again in my life.”
According to the lawyers representing the 4 WSP troopers, she has now filed a tort claim on behalf of a 5th — Trooper Brandon Kendall of Colfax — for carbon monoxide poisoning.
A spokeswoman for WSP told KOIN 6 News that none of the troopers are forced to drive any of the 670 Ford Explorers in WSP’s fleet. She added: “our troopers safety is our chief’s No. 1 priority. This is awful and we’re working to fix it.”