MACHIAS, Maine — A Washington County corrections officer who is accused of falsifying an assault report remains suspended with pay while Machias police investigate an allegation that the assault was a fabrication.
On Monday, Sgt. Troy Lyons, 39, insisted in an interview with the Bangor Daily News that the assault did happen. Lyons seems baffled by accusations by Washington County Sheriff Donnie Smith that the assault was a hoax and that Lyons’ wounds were self-inflicted.
Lyons reported on Oct. 29 that he had been assaulted at approximately 10:30 p.m. while conducting an outdoor perimeter check at the Washington County Jail in Machias. He was treated that same night at a local hospital for lacerations to his forehead and a bruised shoulder and put on paid administrative leave.
After an internal investigation, Washington County Sheriff Donnie Smith concluded that the reported assault never happened, and that Lyons’ injuries were self-inflicted. Smith subsequently suspended Lyons and has asked the Washington County board of commissioners to terminate his employment.
Smith said Monday that he expects the agenda for the Dec. 13 board of county commissioners monthly meeting will include a hearing on Smith’s request to terminate Lyons.
“It was the night of Hurricane Sandy, and there were high winds,” Lyons said Monday. “I was outside making a cellphone call to my girlfriend, saying goodnight to her as I do every night, and I saw a shadow on the side of the fence. I walked around, through a bunch of obstructions, but didn’t see anything. Then I looked up and got hit, and went down, and I remember hearing a car squealing off.
“I was at the wrong place at the wrong time,” the corrections officer said. “I don’t know if someone was trying to throw some contraband over the fence, or what. I spooked somebody, and then they clocked me. I had lacerations to my face and injuries to my shoulder and the muscles in my chest, and my knee keeps popping out.”
Asked what possible motive Lyons would have for injuring himself, Smith said Lyons had used up all his sick leave and vacation days.
“That’s bull,” Lyons said Monday. “I’ve worked there 12 years, and I was just promoted to sergeant in April. When this happened I had 24 hours of vacation time, eight hours of sick leave and two days of comp time.”
Smith said he asked Lyons to agree to a polygraph examination “so we could clear him of this issue,” but said Lyons was advised to decline by the union that represents Washington County corrections officers. Lyons said Monday he has not retained an attorney, but will be represented at the Dec. 13 hearing by union officials.
“I live in Lubec, and, from what people have heard and read, my name is mud,” Lyons said Monday. “People come up to me and call me a liar. It’s been a very emotional strain. My injuries are healed, and nothing restricts me from going back to work, but they don’t want me back.”
No charges have been filed against Lyons, although the incident remains under investigation by Machias police. Machias Police Chief Grady Dwelley said Monday he would have no comment while the situation remains under investigation.
In the interim, Smith said, the jail is using part-time help to fill in for Lyons being off the job.
H,mm I guess he should have left his “back-up” weapon at the scene of the “assault”.
Wonder what else he has falsified in the past.
The Sheriff Department, County law, actually started back in England 3 or 4 hundred years ago, they were known as Shire Reeves, and they collected Shire or County taxes, they were not much trusted then, seems like 3 or 4 hundred years later, they maintain there status quo.
The Machias police couldn’t investigate their butts with a mirror and two hands.
Perhaps if he was doing his job instead of talking to his girlfriend on his cell phone, he would not have been “jumped”.
And you have never made a call from work ?
Absolutely, but I work for myself. The point is that he is regularly wasting his employer’s time (and my tax dollars). The occasional call is fine. But he readily admits he does it every night. I know many businesses that do not allow personal calls on work time unless it’s an emergency.
Are you familiar with the policies of the WCJ? I believe people who work there have received personal calls for a long time.
Obviously I am not familiar with their policies. Regardless, they are at work, where they should be working, NOT taking personal calls on such a regular occurrence. If their policy allows personal calls, it should only be during their breaks, NOT while working. They are dealing with criminals behind bars. They need 100% of their attention on their job, not chit chatting with the wife at home.
So then you arn’t familiar with what occurs and what the job demands are inside the jail. You have no idea what hours they work and that they really don’t have what you call a break time in the jail. You are always on call to action no matter what you are doing there. Breaks come when you can grab them. Might I suggest that if you wish to learn more about the job, they are always hiring at all the jails and prisons in this country. Just about all jails and prisons are short handed and in many mandatory overtime is common. It’s no wonder that the average longevity for corrections officers nationally is 5 years.
All the more reason he should not be chatting with his girlfriend on his cell phone on such a regular basis. IF they are so pressed up for time at the WC Jail (which they are not by the way), 100% of his time should be focused on work, not on making personal phone calls. Your argument only amplifies my complaint.
He treated the inmates like humans …so many people i know have been in there said he treated them the best …I did not think he would last this long if you know what i mean they are less than nice to inmates over there
Actually I know some of the people who work at Bucks Harbor, I also have known many inmates. My informaation (from both sides) is that the facility is falling apart (the infrustructure) but the staff to inmate relations are good. The inmates over there have painted our community church, rebuilt our firetrucks, and have been generally usefull to the community.
The idea that guards are unnecessarily rough with inmates is a fiction.
Why don’t you come over for a look?
he was not at Bucks Harbor
Troy has always treated his fellow workers and the inmates with respect. He knows his job better than Donnie Smith does.
I am sure Sheriff Smith didn’t do this IA himself but relied on Captain Robert Gross as he is the Jail Administrator and Lt. Mary Zidalis. He would rely solely on their recommendation.
I’m thinking that Sheriff Smith has someone in mind to fill Sgt. Lyons position and has been looking for an excuse to get rid of him. IMO only. He tried in the past to promote someone over Sgt. Lyons who had only worked there for less than a year. In fact that person was a good person but didn’t have near the experience that Lyons had and had to ask Lyons how to do his parts of his job.
I am surprised that you believe that Sheriff Smith is that intimately involved in the day to day operations of the jail, which in reality is the exact opposite. Sheriff Smith does not micromanage and in fact rarely interferes with the jail or patrol division. As I stated in my earlier post, he relies on his upper level management.
Think about this. If Sgt. Lyons had wanted to get the night off, all he had to say was that he tripped and fell in the dark behind the garage. He had no need whatsoever to create this scenario. For whatever reason Sheriff Smith has not liked Troy since he was elected to Sheriff. It must be something outside the jail because the Sheriff has never worked with Troy to observe how well he does his job.