Trinity Officer Arrested After Calling for Help While Intoxicated, Says Sheriff Saxon
Trinity County Sheriff’s Deputy Seth Ruiz [Photo from a May 15, 2018 TCSO Facebook post]
According to Sheriff Tim Saxon, who spoke to us by phone, Ruiz, who was off duty, “called for help.” Saxon said, “The deputies responded to help him out. He was unable to care for himself.”
Saxon said for logistic reasons, Ruiz wasn’t booked into the current facility. “He was placed at the new jail,” Saxon told us. He explained that there was no room at the regular jail to place him in a separate holding area.
According to Saxon, when Ruiz was taken into custody, “There was unloaded firearm at the scene but he didn’t have it in his possession at this time.” He said, “The firearm was not involved with the 647 arrest…It was taken because we didn’t want to leave his firearm at the scene…It was taken for safekeeping.”
![Trinity County Sheriff's Deputy Seth Ruiz [Photo from a 2018 TCSO Facebook post]](https://kymkemp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/32699973_2116851265264242_6225450891055464448_n.jpg)
[Photo from a 2018 TCSO Facebook post]
An internal investigation into Ruiz’s behavior has been started. Saxon said, because of the ongoing administrative investigation and the Peace Officer’s Bill of Rights, he can’t comment further on the situation. He did tell us though that Deputy Ruiz is no longer in custody, he is on leave.
Seth Ruiz has been an officer with the Trinity County Sheriff’s Department since July of 2016. Prior to that he worked for the Hoopa Tribal Police. During his time as a sergeant there, Ruiz fatally shot an armed suspect near Weitchpec. The Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office determined that he acted in self defense.
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Well I’m not suprised by the charges. While the sheriff and I don’t always agree on many things, he is a good leader. It’s incredible hard to find deputies willing to work in Trinity.
He should just apply here in Mendocino county hell he will fit right in I mean then of course he will have to pull a few felonys to catch up with the other guys
Even police need to hammered to blow off steam once in a while. Doesn’t sound like special treatment was given. Maybe if we knew of the specifics, like where he was and the help he was seeking, etc. it would clear things up.
At least he called for help, hopefully he wants it. I feel so stinkin sorry for the police. Even if you hate em, they have to be around people that make mpst people gag . I’m not talking about dirty or smelly, I’m not talking about angry, violent dirt bags, I’m talking about creeps that make creeps cringe.
I used to work with parole and probation, and what those people have to deal with, made my case load look like the glee club. That’s why police don’t like talking about work after work, because it kills their very soul seeing the pinnacle of humans lack of dignity, morals, etc.
That’s why police have sick sense of humor ( kym admitted she has the same) because seeing shit, getting no respect, and seeing the same dirt bags day in and out.
Anyway I’m glad I ain’t no officer, even gladder, is I back the badge, not some of the dumb laws they need to enforce. But the people behind the badge, even if I don’t like the cop, it’s the badge I show respect too.
So, be nice to an officer, uck I try and wave at 1 at least every 10th patrol car I see. Not for them, cause most hate my criminal arce, but for me.
Waving is a means, to remind myself, I’m getting older, life is sacred, those poor bastards, see the shit so I can sleep like a baby .
So although it fun to say fuck the police, it reality it’s praise these men because their job is a calling that sucks
Straight-up truth right there. I have a couple cousins who are cops and the shit they see ( ex. Abuse of children) is what we never see. They get called to the worst possible situations and they are basically in that war zone every day so we don’t see it. I make fun of them sometimes when they have to enforce stupid laws but I’m glad they are around…
What is the point of this article? The police are people too and go through things just like everyone else does, there was no point in this article and no point to include the fatal shooting. You guys are ridiculous
The fatal shooting thing explains the public intox thing. Having known the victim of the shooting…. All I can say is “Heroin is a heckuva drug”…. Give the officer the benefit of the doubt. Richie was a nice guy, but the officer was almost certainly in the clear karma wise.
Bless.
Your just assuming at this point. do we know the circumstances of the situation?
“AN off-duty deputy….” None of you graduated high school, did you… straight to the “industry.”
I’m guessing she first wrote “A deputy …” and then went back to add “off-duty” because Kym definitely knows that about grammar. ??
Yep. Good detective work.
Kym encourages us to point out her typos and occasional grammatical errors, but being mean about it is entirely optional.
Sometimes family and friends of the person written about want to shoot the messenger. I’m almost used to it…and he was correct about the errors.
My apologies. There were several errors here. Unfortunately, we had a busy day and I once again had too little sleep trying to keep up. Hopefully, I’ve caught them all now.
You are doing just fine, to say the least, and I hope that you have an even better day tomorrow.
Proofing your own work is almost impossible.
Ruiz, ya dunce.
Lol I don’t blame him, can you imagine patrolling trinity….
In trinity we pride ourselves on not calling the sheriff for help. Never! But this guy doesn’t hesitate. Lol.
I bet ya we would have never heard about this under sheriff Haney.
That’s because Haney would have been getting hammered with him.
this is such a poorly written story. no background info at all. very typical.
What are you talking about? This is way more info than we get reading the sheriffs log in the local, once per week, newspaper.
If you find the time, maybe you could do an investigative piece on the situation. I’m sure Kym would consider publishing it in the “letters to the editor section”.
You drink because you have problems ,you have problems because you drink.
Keep your head up, Deputy Ruiz.
An off-duty cop having a rough night is entitled to the same public services as any other civilian.
Hey atleast the first person to be held at the new jail is actually on the sheriffs staff. Makes it easier to start that way. Sort of trail run if you will.
I assumed ‘new jail’ was codespeak for Shasta… Where’s the ‘new’ jail??
Next to weaverville airfield.
It’s a vast improvement.
Ha ha! It has a sense of irony. That’s how to conduct a test run!
Seems like something for r/tooktoomuch
Good on him for calling for help rather than doing something stupid.
A law enforcement officer with a drinking issue? Who could be surprised? Seth you are definitely not alone. You were off duty. You didn’t hurt anyone but yourself. If you are a competent officer I hope you use this situation to better yourself. Not only for you, but for the people who love you and the community you serve.
If Ruiz is otherwise squared-away personally and professionally, he’s damn sure earned a pass for a one-off 647.
Probably will make him better actually, and based off of public info he appears to be the rare breed of Deputy this County should not lose!
I’d hate to have the ghost of a guy I’d shot and killed jump out of a whisky bottle and scare the hell out of me!
Combat veterans have similar issues…
I have known Seth since he was a young boy. I worked with him when we were both Hoopa Tribal Police Officers, and I have heard some good things regarding his time with Trinity County. I am thankful Seth reached out for help in a responsible manner. I have arrived on scene and had to carry a casket due to a fellow officer not getting enough help for all we deal with, all that we see, and all that we cannot unsee. Despite your occasional frustrations try to be kind to your Deputies and Officers. They are a primary portion of community (human) fabric that prevents the underbelly of society from becoming an overwhelming threat to everyone.
We wouldn’t have a community without them and many others in all walks of life. Good on you for saying it and good on him for admitting he needed help. Trinity County should be proud of their sheriff’s department.
Would I be arrested if I realized I was too impaired to drive and called for help?
Frankly, I think this kinda sucks.
maybe he was roofied? it’s not like that is uncommon around here.
Hey 911 I need some help can you please send some officers over. Oh wait I am an officer oh s***. They’re human too the things officers see do have an affect on them forever. No one is perfect.
It seems this Officer was in a crisis. I could understand why colleagues would pursue arrest rather than call in a mental health call, which has repercussions in the sense of being able to carry weapons. It seems a misdemeanor would have less consequences and still ensure the Officer’s safety. If this scenario is true I feel for the person going through this struggle and having the media shed light on it. While I get running an article on cops breaking the law is sensational, we should also respect peoples dignity, especially while off-duty.
It’s nice to see y’all being pretty merciful concerning this matter
Actually it sonds like he will not be charged. There is a part of 647F/849b2 that they bring you to jail, you sober up and are released with no charges etc just for your safety. Sounds like wht happened here. I guss I dont see what the issue is. He had to much to drink like all of us have done before, called for assistance instead of driving now winds up in the paper. I do not see why there has to be some big deal about it.
If he is charged that would be a real POS cop charging ANYONE, cop or not under these circumstances.
Cops are people too. I think people eager to jam on them are probably butt hurt from previous encounters. Bidens son is on camera doing dope off hookers asses, and he’s walking free. Don’t begrudge a public servant some freedoms, we’re all human. .