`Sabotage' Probed After D.A.R.E. Officer's Accident -- Evidence Of Car Tampering Found

The Enumclaw Police Department is trying to find out who sabotaged one of its cars, causing it to crash into a ditch, injuring an officer.

"We are conducting a criminal investigation into the matter," said Chief Gene Williams. "We could be looking at attempted murder."

Williams is surprised anyone would target a police officer in the picturesque town on the road to Mount Rainier. The sabotaged car is used in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program, and the driver, Doug Osterdahl, is the D.A.R.E. officer.

Enumclaw has a population of about 9,200 and a police department of 16 officers, including the chief.

"We're a small, quiet community," Williams said.

"The D.A.R.E. officer is very well thought of in the community. We've had no indication of problems with him or his arrests."

Williams revealed the investigation yesterday after an accident-review board concluded that someone intentionally disabled the car.

"There was evidence of tampering with the stabilizer bar in the rear end of the car," Williams explained. "The bar relates to the steering. If the bar is removed, it allows the rear end to float freely (and) . . . the car would be unresponsive to attempts to control it. Somebody removed a bolt off the bar, according to our mechanic."

Additionally, Williams said, the car's right rear tire was partially deflated.

Asked if the bolt could have fallen out accidentally, Williams said: "We don't believe so and neither does the mechanic. There were wrench marks."

The car is a black, 1987 Pontiac Firebird with D.A.R.E. in big, red letters on each side of the car.

Osterdahl, 37, takes the car home after work. It is believed the car was tampered with at his home the night of Jan. 5.

The following morning, Osterdahl drove to an elementary school and back to the station in downtown Enumclaw without any problems.

However, his car's rear end began to zigzag about 12:30 p.m. when Osterdahl attempted to return to school to teach another D.A.R.E. class to sixth-graders.

The car went into a ditch. It was not damaged, but Osterdahl suffered minor back injuries and spent a day in Community Memorial Hospital in Enumclaw.

Osterdahl has been with the department four years. This is his third year as D.A.R.E. officer.