Anderson medical aid call leads to violent confrontation, arrest

ANDERSON — A deputy and his K-9 partner were attacked during a medical aid call that turned violent in Anderson, Monday afternoon, Sept. 17. The alleged suspect was arrested after the violent altercation that happened in a canal area near Thomas Rd. and Genes Ln.

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The Shasta County Sheriff’s K-9 deputy was dispatched to the canal shortly before 5 p.m., after receiving reports of a man lying on the ground, possibly injured.

When the deputy arrived he found the man, later identified as Carl Cotter, 51, on the ground and unresponsive. The man was mumbling and appeared disoriented and the deputy immediately summoned medical personnel respond to the location.

While the deputy was waiting for an ambulance to arrive Cotter appeared to lose consciousness, so the deputy performed a sternum rub in an attempt to keep Cotter awake.

Without provocation, Cotter suddenly “slapped the deputy’s hand away and jumped to his feet,” SCSO officials later explained. Cotter then began “punching at the deputy’s face and head.”

The deputy managed to dodge Cotter’s blows while ordering him to stop and telling the violent man that he was under arrest.

“Cotter then took a fighting stance and began advancing on the officer,” said SCSO. When the man continued to refuse to obey the deputy, the official deployed his K-9 partner “Thor” from the patrol car.

Thor immediately tore out of the patrol vehicle and went after the violently combative man, who began punching both the K-9 and deputy as they tried to control him.

According to SCSO, Cotter fought violently with the deputy and K-9 until other deputies arrived and helped subdue the combative man and take him into custody.

Cotter was eventually taken to a local hospital where he was treated for minor injuries and cleared to be booked into the Shasta County Jail. Cotter was subsequently booked for an outstanding felony PRCS warrant, assaulting an officer, obstructing an officer, and assaulting a police K9.

The deputy and K9 were not injured during the altercation and returned to work immediately after Cotter’s arrest.

 

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Trevor Montgomery, 47, recently moved to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle, and Anza Valley Outlook; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 14 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.