Portland cop pleads guilty to protest misconduct, assault

PORTLAND — A now-retired Portland police officer has pleaded guilty to official misconduct and assault related to an incident during a protest against police brutality.

Scott Groshong, 52, pleaded guilty on Monday and was sentenced to three years of probation and 80 hours of community service, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt said in a statement. Groshong’s police certification was also revoked.

He was employed by the Portland Police Bureau and working during a June, 15, 2020 protest when prosecutors said he drove an unmarked police van into a man seen running with an item from a skateboard shop that was vandalized. A resident recorded video of the incident, prosecutors said.

“Groshong recklessly drove his vehicle into the man, striking him and causing him a serious physical injury,” according to the District Attorney’s office.

Groshong failed to stop or try to help the man, didn’t report the collision, didn’t mention the crash in a police report, or to a supervisor or the state Department of Motor Vehicles, according to prosecutors.

The man as well as other Portland police officers, testified before a Multnomah County grand jury in October 2020, leading to a nine-count indictment against Groshong.

Groshong retired in August 2020 after a 27-year career. His lawyer, Brian Scott Davidson, told The Oregonian/OregonLive that Groshong is working in the construction industry. Davidson said he had no comment on the plea or sentencing.

The man who was hit has not been charged with crimes stemming from the alleged theft from the skateboard shop. The Multnomah County District Attorney’s office said that case is still under investigation.