An Arizona judge was caught on video in a compromising situation, where she was seen pulling her pants down and urinating in public before being confronted by police. This incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. on October 4 in Prescott, as several witnesses reported the judge’s behavior.
The judge in question, Christine Scharf Olson, 42, was filmed escaping from some bushes when the officers arrived. According to a police report, multiple individuals had already alerted authorities about her conduct.
Upon the officers’ arrival, one remarked that her level of intoxication was so severe that she struggled to even spell her name but still asserted her position as a judge. As officers attempted to address the situation, they expressed their disapproval, stating clearly that her behavior was unacceptable.
In the midst of the incident, Scharf Olson’s husband, Jason Olson, who serves as the Parks and Recreation Director in Chino Valley, disregarded police commands to stay back and approached his wife. Video footage shows him attempting to intervene despite multiple warnings from law enforcement.
When questioned by an officer, Scharf Olson attempted to explain by saying, “Because I saw her vomiting and urinating and exposing herself to several people.” Her husband, however, denied the claims.
As tensions escalated, the officer warned Jason that if he continued to disobey their orders, he would be forcibly restrained. Numerous other officers eventually arrived on the scene while Jason was being placed in a police vehicle.
One first responder described the scene to a colleague, noting the public nature of Scharf Olson’s actions and the fact that many onlookers were watching. He remarked, “She’s got her pants all the way down. I’m looking at her there. She’s peeing everywhere.”
A citation was issued to Scharf Olson for urinating in public. Following the incident, she resigned from her interim judge position just two days later. In her resignation statement, she cited personal and family circumstances as reasons for her decision to step down, acknowledging that the community deserved judges who were committed to serving.
Chief Judge John Knapper voiced support for her decision, emphasizing that the process for finding a replacement would begin, requiring approval from the state’s Chief Justice and county leaders.
In light of the incident, Scharf Olson self-reported to the Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct, which is currently investigating the matter. Her last day on the bench is set for Friday, with Jason charged with several offenses including resisting arrest and obstructing a police investigation, and he is scheduled for a court appearance on November 18th.
