Pullman police ticketed the head coach of the WSU women’s basketball team for hosting a recent social gathering of about two dozen guests during a push to enforce public health mandates as local COVID-19 cases have skyrocketed.
Almost all of the approximately 18 infractions Pullman police have issued for alleged violations of public health mandates have gone to apparent student parties based on College Hill near campus. Police have issued just two infractions for gatherings outside of College Hill, including the coach’s party.
Court records show Head Coach Kamie Ethridge received an infraction under the city’s nuisance party ordinance on Aug. 28 — about a week after authorities warned they would start enforcing violations of public health restrictions on large gatherings, social distancing and masks.
Pullman Police Chief Gary Jenkins said an officer responded to Ethridge’s home after getting a complaint about the party. The officer reportedly saw about 25 people outside in the yard without masks or social distancing. Ethridge identified herself as the owner of the property.*
“She said she was just hosting a mini-block party,” Jenkins said, adding, “The party started to break up while the officer was there.”
After weeks of providing “educational” warnings, Jenkins told officers on Aug. 27 to start immediately writing infractions for parties in violation of public health orders.
“Their direction is to enforce it equally,” he said, “regardless of who it is or where it is.”
District Court records obtained by Whitman County Watch show Ethridge paid a $150 fine. She did not respond to two voicemails left on her cellphone seeking comment on the matter.
Update, Sept. 8: Ethridge released a statement Tuesday via WSU Athletics:
“I would like to apologize for the violation of our local social distancing guidelines. There was a gathering held on my driveway, of which I did not host. But as the guidelines state, the owner of the property is responsible for maintaining proper social distancing and mask wearing for all that are in attendance. As this did occur on my property, I take full responsibility. I appreciate the hard work being done by our Whitman County Health officials to keep our community as safe as possible during this pandemic. As a role model in our community, I will work to set a better example.”
Local officials have sought to stem a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases since thousands of students returned to Pullman last month, ballooning the county’s cases from 142 to 835 in the past 18 days. Last week, WSU launched a Cougs Cancel COVID campaign to reinforce public health best practices and discouraged students from leaving town for Labor Day weekend to avoid new outbreaks.
Most infractions have been issued under the city’s Duty to Control Premises ordinance. Ethridge’s ticket indicates a “violation of a cease and disperse order.” Jenkins said there was nothing in the report about any refusal to disperse, so it may have been filed under an incorrect, but similar, code.
Jenkins said the department had issued about 16 infractions by Friday. Weekend police logs indicated at least two more so far this weekend, including one new infraction on Military Hill. A recent walk through College Hill revealed numerous face masks littered alongside beer cans and broken bottles.
Pullman police had reported more than 90 calls or complaints for suspected violations of public health mandates by late August, mostly from the strictest stay-home restrictions in April. But those calls have increased since with police logs now listing several calls each day.
City officials plan to propose stricter language on public health codes to ease the ticketing of individual partiers in addition to just party hosts. That language is expected to go before the city council on Sept. 15.
City Attorney Laura McAloon said Pullman is the only jurisdiction in the state issuing infractions for violations of pandemic-related public health mandates as far as she knows. But the current city code only allows the ticketing of individual partiers who refuse an order to disperse.
“We can beef that up a bit,” she said.
Jenkins said the alternative would involve charging partiers and hosts in violation of public health orders with misdemeanors, which bear more significant costs and consequences.
“This is really the less intrusive option,” he said.
Amid the surge in local COVID-19 cases and party enforcement, Jenkins said a couple officers have had to quarantine after arresting someone who tested positive. No officers had so far tested positive.
* Clarification, Sept. 16: A review of additional police records shows Ethridge identified herself as the property owner. This story previously stated she identified herself as the “host of the event.”