On a tragic day in November 1987, John Robert Saxerud, a 31-year-old White male, lost his life in the line of duty. In the early morning hours of November 14th, Saxerud, an Island County Deputy Sheriff, along with his partner Deputy William Heffernan, responded to a report of a suspected intoxicated driver at the Clinton ferry terminal. The driver, 26-year-old Darrin Rand Hutchinson, was driving a blue Ford Pinto erratically and had nearly struck the ferry toll booth.
Following the
report, Deputies Saxerud and Heffernan arrested Hutchinson for driving under the influence. Deputy Saxerud conducted a pat-down of Hutchinson before placing him in the back of the patrol car for transport to the Island County Jail in Coupeville. Tragically, a thin. 32-caliber Bersa semiautomatic pistol concealed along Hutchinson's waist went undetected during the search.
Upon arrival at the jail, the deputies escorted Hutchinson to the BAC room to administer a breathalyzer test. As per standard procedure, both deputies secured their service weapons in a lockbox before entering the processing area. It was in this seemingly secure environment that the situation turned fatal. Hutchinson drew his hidden handgun and shot both deputies, killing them almost instantly.
After the shooting, Hutchinson searched Deputy Saxerud's pockets for car keys, stole a patrol car, and crashed through a garage door to escape. He fled to his brother's house and later abandoned the stolen vehicle down a steep ravine. Later that same day, law enforcement located and arrested Hutchinson at his parents' house. He was subsequently convicted on two counts of aggravated first-degree murder and received two life sentences for the killings of Deputy Saxerud and Deputy Heffernan.
