King County deputy charged with attacking teen

A King County sheriff's's deputy has been charged with fourth-degree assault in his handling of a teen girl after her arrest last November.

Paul Schene, 31, of Auburn, is to be arraigned Feb. 26. The King County Prosecutor's Office filed the assault charge, a gross misdemeanor, on Thursday.

Two deputies arrested two 15-year-old girls for auto theft early Nov. 29, after they'd been stopped driving a stolen car. The girls were taken to a holding facility at SeaTac City Hall for fingerprinting, and prosecutors allege that during processing, one of the girls was kicked in the stomach, slammed against a wall and her hair was pulled in a holding cell by Schene, according to charging papers. The incident was captured on security cameras.

While she was being held, the girl kicked off one of her shoes, and it hit the deputy in the shin, injuring him, the deputy said in his report that day. After the incident, the deputy allegedly attacked her.

The girl then complained of breathing difficulties.

An aid car was called, but paramedics concluded the girl did not need treatment.

According to records, both girls were booked into the county youth-detention center on auto-theft charges. One also was booked for assault.

The deputy used "more force than necessary as far as prosecutors are concerned and as far as we're concerned," county police spokesman John Urquhart said. Schene, who has nearly eight years' service with the Sheriff's Department, is on paid administrative leave. The next day, another detective at another work site was assigned to investigate the alleged assault by the deputy, and he was placed on paid administrative leave later that day.

A sheriff's spokesman said an internal-investigations-unit review could determine discipline for the deputy, who could be terminated if it's determined an attack occurred.

Charles E. Brown: 206-464-2206 or cbrown@seattletimes.com