Former Chehalis Fire Captain Charged With Unprofessional Conduct by Department of Health Following 2019 Convictions

Feb. 3—The Washington State Department of Health has charged former Chehalis Fire Department captain Derrick Paul with unprofessional conduct due to his conviction on domestic violence and theft charges in November 2019.

Paul's Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification, first issued in November 1997, is currently inoperable and enforcement action is pending.

Paul, 42, was initially charged with second-degree rape and fourth-degree assault, domestic violence, in March 2019 for allegedly forcing a sexual encounter, despite the victim's repeated objections.

Paul eventually pleaded guilty to one count each of fourth-degree assault-domestic violence with sexual motivation, disclosing intimate images and first-degree theft in Lewis County Superior Court on Nov. 8, 2019.

"On or about March 13, 2019 ... I did intentionally assault (the victim) by touching her in a manner that could be considered offensive to a reasonable person with sexual motivation. On or about March 30, 2019 ... I did disclose an intimate image of (the victim) knowing that the image was to remain private," said Paul in his guilty plea.

Paul also confessed that, between January 2014 and March 2019, he "did commit theft of more than $5,000 in property by color or aid of deception."

He was sentenced on Nov. 20, 2019, to 90 days partial confinement — meaning that after 30 days in custody, he was allowed to serve the remaining days out of custody with electronic monitoring — and charged with $34,432.59 in restitution to the city of Chehalis, plus additional restitution to the victim. He was also issued a no-contact order with the victim, effective until Nov. 20, 2024.

The Washington State Department of Health issued an official notice of charges on Dec. 29, 2020 that claims Paul's 2019 convictions constitute unprofessional conduct, specifically referencing the two sections of the agency's code that define "unprofessional conduct" as "the commission of any act involving moral turpitude, dishonesty, or corruption relating to the practice of a person's profession, whether the act constitutes a crime or not," and "conviction of any gross misdemeanor or felony relating to the practice of the person's profession."

The notice of charges states that Paul has the opportunity to defend against the charges, and if he fails to do so, then he will be subject to disciplinary action.

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