Petersburg officer accused of sexual misconduct

Two Petersburg residents are facing charges after accusing a Petersburg Police Department officer of sexual misconduct.

James R. Vick and Julie C. Ruhle claimed that Officer Louis Waechter allegedly touched Ruhle inappropriately while arresting her on charges of driving under the influence on Sept. 28, but body cam footage of the interaction does not support the claim, according to the court complaint.

Vick and Ruhle now face a misdemeanor class A charge for knowingly giving false information to a peace officer with the intent of implicating another in an offense. Ruhle could also be charged with class B misdemeanor for violating conditions of release.

Ruhle was released on her own recognizance after her arrest, according to the court complaint. A dispatcher with the PPD contacted Ruhle to ask that she pick up paperwork from the police department, but it was Vick who answered the phone. He requested a meeting with Chief Jim Kerr to talk about the conduct of one of the police officers, according to the complaint.

Kerr returned Vick's phone call later that day. Vick asked Kerr if he'd like to "speak off the record." He then told Kerr that he was sober during the interaction and gave his point of view of what happened when Waechter helped Ruhle get into the back of the police car during the arrest.

"I was right there, and I was going to help her," said Vick to Kerr according to the court complaint. "[Waechter] grabbed her by the butt and threw her in the car. His fingers went up through her buttcrack and touched her butthole. So we would like to file charges against the officer for inappropriately touching a female."

According to the court complaint, the body cam footage shows Ruhle asking for help as she tries to get into the back seat of the police car. Waechter has his left hand on his flashlight and appears to grasp Ruhle by the arm as she enters the vehicle. In a report, Waechter wrote that he used his flashlight to illuminate the backseat of the car and grasped Ruhle's arm to help her in, according to the court complaint.

At no time does it appear that Waechter touched Ruhle inappropriately, according to the court complaint.

Vick and Ruhle later spoke with Kerr at the police department and reaffirmed their accusation that Waechter touched Ruhle inappropriately. Kerr then played the body cam footage for them and offered them a chance to recant their statements. They did not, according to the complaint. Vick also accused Kerr of editing the video, according to the complaint.

"There's been rumors going around town about the arrest," said Kerr. "I want it to be clear that my officer did everything correct."

The Sentinel reviewed the footage from the body cam, and it can be found on the Sentinel website.