WA Captain Accused of Groping Woman

Sept. 11 -- A fire captain is accused of grabbing a woman's buttocks during a training exercise at a Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue facility in Sherwood, according to court records and the Washington County sheriff's office.

Scott Taube, 52, faces charges of third-degree sexual abuse and harassment in connection with the May 23 incident. He was arraigned Tuesday in Washington County Circuit Court, booked and later released, authorities said.

Taube, a Washington state resident, is a captain at Clark County Fire District 6 in Vancouver, the sheriff's office said in a news release.

Chief Jerry Green told The Oregonian/OregonLive Taube had worked at the department for 25 years and was placed on paid administrative leave Tuesday, pending an internal investigation. 

Taube also held outside work as a contract employee in Washington County and trained new emergency medical technicians with the Tualatin department, the sheriff's office said.

In July, a woman reported Taube groped her while he led a training exercise at the Tualatin department's Southwest Tonquin Road facility in Sherwood, authorities said.

Detectives during their investigation spoke with a witness who corroborated the woman's account, the sheriff's office said. Detectives initially cited Taube on Aug. 15.

Taube could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

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