March 2019 Catch

OFFICER DOUG BUELTEL

K-9 GERO

EVANSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT (INDIANA)

Officers initiated a car stop at 0004 hrs around Walnut/SE Fifth St on 3/9/19. After briefly stopping for about one minute, the vehicle then fled from officers, almost striking an officer. Officers called out the pursuit and direction of travel. While Certified Police K-9 Gero and I never made it directly behind the fleeing suspect, we were close to the area. The vehicle crashed out at approximately 0005 hrs in front of 800 Block of Ravenswood and two black male subjects fled on foot. One male had an afro and was wearing a blue hoody while the other subject was wearing all grey.

K-9 Gero and I arrived within a minute around 0006 hrs. I then deployed K-9 Gero on a 15-foot tracking line and harness around 0007 hrs. With units chasing the subjects briefly on foot, we started to run towards that area. I then yelled a police K-9 warning, "Police K-9, come out now or you will be bit by a dog" around 0008 hrs. I then yelled a second K-9 warning, "Police K-9, come out now or you will be bit by a dog" around 0009 hrs. Officers quickly determined that the male in all grey was the driver of the vehicle and would be without shoes.

We went east of the crash location on Ravenswood to Bedford, then south on Bedford. We then went west on Covert a couple of houses to where the suspect was seen going between two houses. We started to track and K-9 Gero was in odor and pulling me hard. We checked a few yards in that area and then went to the west. We then started to work back east as the driver was spotted near Ravenswood/Grand. K-9 Gero picked up a track near that location and pulled me north to Taylor. We then worked into the north/south alley between Bedford/Grand. While tracking north in the alley, I thought I saw a head pop out from around the corner of a garage. K-9 Gero continued to pull me north and rounded the garage at which time I observed the suspect running around 0023 hrs. I then yelled, "let me see your hands, police dog." The suspect was running away from us and I couldn`t see his hands. I then dropped my tracking line and K-9 Gero quickly caught up to the suspect and apprehended him in the 1400 Block of S Grand. Officers J. Hassler and B. Underwood placed the suspect in handcuffs at 0024 hrs and then transported him to Deaconess Hospital for medical treatment.

The suspect was treated for the K-9 apprehension and injuries sustained from the crash and then was transported to the Vanderburgh County Confinement Center where he was booked on multiple charges.