Centralia chief: Officer shouldn't have shot at fleeing man

CENTRALIA, Wash. (AP) — Centralia Police Chief Bob Berg says a security officer was wrong to fire a shot at a man who was fleeing municipal court.

Security Officer Steve Howard shot out a car window in December and Phillip A. Pinotti suffered cuts to his face from the glass.

The 22-year-old Adna man was fleeing Centralia Municipal Court where Howard had tried to handcuff him. Howard chased him to his car and said he fired the shot because the car was coming at him.

The Chronicle reports a review board and the chief said the vehicle was not a threat and that Howard's decision to fire his gun was not reasonable.

The prosecutor's office decided not to charge the officer. The chief said the incident would be handled as a personnel matter.