"The behavior that led to his termination was egregious, there were terrible actions and we would never defend them in any way," said Port Spokeswoman Charla Skaggs.

It began when Schorsch's ex-girlfriend told Kent Police he was stalking her. In personal interviews and public records obtained by the Problem Solvers, she claimed Schorsch harassed her by phone, e-mail, text message and with unwanted gifts - much of this while he was on duty.

"It was absolute manipulation," said City of Kent Chief Deputy Prosecutor Tami Perdue. "It was an attempt to exert total and complete power and control over the victim in this case."

The woman's friends and family feared for her safety, and Perdue charged Schorsch with stalking.

"It was so invasive to the victim, she literally had no escape," Perdue said.

The Port also began investigating Schorsch and found a rats nest of pornographic e-mail exchanges in Schorsch's work computer, including videos they called "perverted." After its investigation, port managers fired Schorsch, calling him unfit.

Three weeks later, Schorsch was involved in the crash on Lake Tapps. Bonney Lake Police say Schorsch had been speeding, was legally drunk, and may have been mixing alcohol with his prescription drugs found in the boat.

City of Bonney Lake's attorney Andrew Cooley said of Schorsch, "He's somebody we would trust to know and obey the law, to know that he's not supposed to be drunk, not supposed to be drunk driving a boat, not supposed to be drunk, driving a boat going five times the speed limit."

Schorsch was blinded in the accident. He would never be a cop again.

But, while he recovered, the Port, on its own, made a surprising offer. It would erase his termination, temporarily put him back on the payroll for as long as fellow officers donated leave, and agreed to support any claims for disability. Why? Nothing in the Port's documents answers that question.

Here's what the port says now:

"While there are a lot of complicating factors, the end of the day the decision was to err on the side of compassion," Skaggs said.

Ultimately, the Port paid Schorsch nearly $25,000 for pay and benefits with taxpayer money. They changed his records to list Schorsch as medically resigned -- not fired. And they agreed to keep the deal secret.

"Had the accident not happened," says Skaggs, "I can say with confidence we would never have reinstated him."

Contrast Schorsch's situation with what happened to former Detective Sergeant Pat Kelley. In 2002, Kelley was an investigator with Whitman County. When a drunk driver hit his car while he was on duty, Kelley nearly died.

Now he's disabled, had to fight for his benefits and has no sympathy for any officer who drives drunk. "It just absolutely offends me," he said of the situation with Schorsch. "No matter how you look at it, to me it's some type of corruption."

Now Schorsch wants more taxpayer money, and he's going after the city of Bonney Lake for his accident on Lake Tapps.

"Well we were shocked and outraged and disappointed," said Cooley. Schorsch wants $9.5 million and is claiming warning signs were not conspicuously posted. But video taken just days after the crash by KOMO 4 News shows in addition to the 5mph buoys in the inlet, there's a stop sign on the causeway, and at night a flashing red light on top.

"That someone who exercised all this negligence, who was engaging in this kind of misconduct could actually make a claim upon the taxpayers for compensation of that breathtaking amount," Cooley said.

Det. Sgt Kelley believes Schorsch's secret deal with the Port of Seattle turned justice on its head. He hopes, this time, with the Bonney Lake case, justice will be served.

"I feel sorry for this person and their family," Kelley said, "but life is tough and when you make bad or stupid or criminal decisions you have to pay for it."

Schorsch declined our request for an interview, but his attorney said Schorsch was denied disability benefits through the port's insurance. The attorney said Schorsch is now receiving Social Security disability.