(MT) — The hits – and misses – just keep on coming for former Clackamas
County Deputy Sheriff Brandon Claggett.

Claggett, 38, the so-called “Weed and Seed” officer for the Mountain
community until running afoul of the law himself, is now being evaluated to
determine if he is competent to stand trial, according to the Circuit Court.

The latest transgression was Claggett’s alleged violation of the terms of his
pre-trial release, according to sheriff’s public information officer Jeffrey Green.

Claggett found himself before the court after his electronic monitoring device
transmitted a tamper alarm at 4: 30 a.m., July 10. When deputies arrived at
his home, Claggett was not there, his pickup was gone, was considered armed
and dangerous, and his young son was believed to be with him.

Forty minutes later his pickup was spotted in the Sandy area – near the
residence of his estranged wife, Jamie – and deputies took Claggett into
custody. His son was returned unharmed to the mother, Green said.

At the time of the early morning arrest, Deputy Steve Shelly said Claggett had
a slight odor of alcohol on his breath and had told him that he was depressed,
couldn’t take it any more and needed mental help, according to CCSD public
information officer Jim Strovink.

A grand jury indictment was quickly presented accusing Claggett of additional
charges including unlawful use of a firearm, unlawful use of a weapon (a
knife), unlawful possession of a firearm and second-degree criminal mischief.

Clackamas County Circuit Court Judge Kathie Steele and Deputy District
Attorney Shannon Kmetic immediately tacked on a full bail amount of $1.1
million.

At a hearing before Circuit Court Judge Eve L. Miller the following Monday,
Claggett’s attorney asked permission for the mental evaluation and Miller
granted the request.

Claggett is now being held at the state mental hospital and another hearing
has been slated for Aug. 25 to determine if he is competent to proceed to
trial, according to Kmetic.

If it is determined that Claggett is incompetent he will be held at the hospital
until he is capable of defending himself.

Prior to the recent July events, the deputy had been arrested in May and
indicted by a grand jury on charges of coercion, unlawful use of a weapon,
menacing, misdemeanor assault, pointing a firearm at another person –
threatening his estranged wife at gunpoint – and unlawful possession of a
firearm.

Claggett resigned from the sheriff’s department in October, 2008, following an
investigation that found he took a teenage girl on unauthorized rides in his
patrol car and that he had e-mailed explicit photos of himself to her while on
duty.

The district attorney decided not to charge Claggett in that case.