FORKS — A Clallam County employee who often comforts domestic violence victims in her job has been charged with a misdemeanor in an alleged domestic violence incident.
County victim-witness coordinator Anna E. Shimko, 33, of Port Angeles has been charged with fourth-degree assault in an alleged Dec. 12 altercation at Shimko’s Port Angeles home.
A pre-trial hearing on the charge is set for 2 p.m. Thursday in Forks District Court 2. Judge Eric Rohrer will preside.
The county victim-witness coordinator fills a full-time position and acts as a liaison between victims, witnesses, the county Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and other agencies, Prosecuting Attorney Deb Kelly said Tuesday.
“A large percentage are domestic violence and sexual assault victims,” she said.
Kelly placed Shimko on paid administrative leave Dec. 15, county Human Resources Director Marjorie Upham said.
Kelly would not comment on why Shimko was placed on administrative leave from her job, which pays $22.54 cents an hour, saying it was a personnel issue.
Port Angeles police, responding to what they said was a domestic violence incident, said the victim, 35, “had obvious injuries, scratches on his face, head, chest, shoulders and swelling on his forehead from being struck by a bottle,” Officer Don Maynard said in his police report.
The man told police that when he tried to leave the residence, Shimko grabbed his hoodie and T-shirt, ripping them. He denied assaulting Shimko.
“Other than a pinky injury, A. Shimko did not claim to have any injuries, and I did not see any injuries on her person consistent with being struck,” Maynard said.
“A. Shimko kept changing her statement regarding if she and [the man] struck each other or not but at one time admitted that the two struck each other,” Maynard said.
The victim and Shimko smelled of “intoxicating liquor,” Maynard said.
Port Angeles District Court 1 Judge Rick Porter transferred the case to Forks District Court 2 on Dec. 13, a day after the incident and the same day Shimko’s lawyer, Michelle Ahrens, filed an affidavit of prejudice against Porter.
Ahrens said she was not authorized by Shimko to discuss the basis of the affidavit and also said Shimko declined to be interviewed.
Shimko had filed a complaint with the Port Angeles Police Department against Porter last summer when Porter was running for re-election.
She alleged Porter had moved a campaign sign for Tim Davis, one of two candidates challenging Porter in the Aug. 17 primary, from the city right of way in front of her house and placed next to a hedge in her front yard.
Porter said then he could not recall moving the sign but said he picked it up to straighten the bent placard as “a common courtesy.”
Shimko’s complaint was forwarded to the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to avoid what Port Angeles Police Chief Terry Gallagher said was a conflict of interest.
Then-Jefferson County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Scott Rosekrans decided not to press charges. Rosekrans was elected county prosecuting attorney in the November general election.
Porter did not return a call for comment Tuesday.
Kelly said Administrative Specialist Tina Hendrickson has temporarily taken over Shimko’s duties “pretty much full time.”
Sequim lawyer and former Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney Chris Shea, whom Kelly defeated in November 2002 to win her first term in office, is the special prosecutor for the city of Port Angeles in the case, City Attorney Bill Bloor said.
The city has an agreement with the city of Sequim under which the two municipalities take each other’s conflict-of-interest cases, Bloor said.
Assistant City Attorney Heidi Greenwood, who would have handled the case, is Shimko’s personal friend, Greenwood said.
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Senior staff writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-417-3536 or at paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.