In Steuben County, Indiana, the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office arrested two people for alleged trespassing and attempting to drown a K9 officer during a foot chase on Monday. In the afternoon of April 8, deputies were dispatched to investigate a complaint about trespassing.
The report indicated a man and a woman were on the property without permission, and it was not clear why or what the subjects were doing there.
When deputies arrived in the area, they located a male and female on the property being confronted by the property owner who appeared to be the subject of the trespassing complaint. When one of the Sheriff’s K-9 units attempted to make contact with the suspects to identify them, both suspects fled on foot to the south into a wooded area.
The property owner used his UTV, assisted by Sheriff’s deputies, to locate the pair in the wooded area. When the two were located, they were ordered to stop and warned if they did not, a K9 officer would be released. Both suspects ran away, and the K9 Klara was released to apprehend the fleeing suspects.
K9 Klara was able to stop the female suspect who surrendered without further incident. She has since been identified as Hollie Sue Richter, 35. She has been charged with one count of Resisting Law Enforcement, (a class A Misdemeanor). Richter also had active arrest warrants for Failure to Return to Lawful Detention, Possession of Methamphetamine, and Escape from Community Corrections.
The male suspect, however continued trying to flee from Corporal Johnson and K-9 Klara. K-9 Klara was able to catch up with the suspect as he ran down into a large creek. The suspect then allegedly grabbed the Sheriff’s K-9’s collar and forced her head under the water in what appeared to be an attempt to drown the dog.
K-9 Klara was able to free herself from the man’s grip and water. The suspect began to flee again, but K-9 Klara was able to engage into a bite before being called off by Corporal Johnson due to possible exhaustion and injury from struggling to breathe under the water. And for the third time, the suspect tried to flee, but was soon apprehended by Indiana State Police.
Skyler Austin Robertson, 31, of Georgia, now faces two counts of Resisting Law Enforcement (Class A Misdemeanor), one count of Interfering or Striking a Law Enforcement Animal (Level 6 Felony). He also had an active arrest warrant for Failure to Appear and possession of marijuana as well as other charges
Both Robertson and Richter were transported to Cameron Hospital by Steuben County EMS to be cleared medically before being transported to the Steuben County Jail.
Both Robertson and Richter remain held without bond pending an initial court appearance. K-9 Klara was taken to an area Veterinarian and treated for water in the lungs and is expected to make a full recovery.
The incident remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office and additional charges may be sought. Assisting the Sheriff’s Office at the scene were the Angola Police, Indiana State Police, and the Steuben County EMS.
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