Fight With Ind. Police Nets 11 Charges for Suspect
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Feb. 22--A Logansport man was booked into jail on 11 charges after a confrontation with police on Monday.
While on patrol about 2:30 a.m., Logansport police officer Ryan Preston noticed a vehicle with engine running stuck in the mud in the 3900 block of Lexington Drive. He approached to find an unresponsive man, later identified as 20-year-old Dustin Arthur Ryker, sitting in the driver's seat.
Ryker reportedly awoke when he nearly fell out of the vehicle as Preston opened the door. Preston stated in a police report that he noticed the smell of alcohol.
Two more officers arrived on scene. They reportedly helped Ryker out of the vehicle after he allegedly struggled to stand up.
According to police, Ryker became verbally abusive toward the officers. The officers said he refused to put his hands behind his back so they could conduct a weapons search.
Police reported they told Ryker multiple times to comply. As they threatened to shock him with a Taser, Ryker allegedly struck the officer's hand that held the weapon. During an ensuing struggle, Ryker also threw mud at another officer's Taser.
Officer Carlos Leal shot Ryker in the chest with the Taser, which reportedly forced him to comply with police commands and ended the physical altercation.
Ryker was taken by ambulance to Logansport Memorial Hospital, where he reportedly continued to be verbally abusive toward officers and nurses.
When a nurse tried to take a blood sample, Ryker reportedly jerked the needle from his arm and sprayed an officer with blood.
Ryker was arrested on charges of operating while intoxicated-refusal, public intoxication, minor consumption, battery on an officer, battery by bodily waste, criminal mischief, resisting law enforcement, intimidation, possession of paraphernalia and possession of marijuana.
Kevin Lilly is news editor of the Pharos-Tribune. He can be reached at 574-732-5117 or [email protected].