MSPD K-9 assists with arrest of Yreka attempted murder suspect
MT. SHASTA, Calif., — Authorities say that a man wanted in connection with an attempted murder investigation was arrested near the Rain Rock Casino Tuesday evening, Aug. 24. The alleged suspect, Kevin Gary Stewart, 40, was apprehended after a K-9 was deployed into a small, half-buried pipe where he had been hiding down the hill from the casino, located at 777 Casino Way.
Despite the furry officer’s presence, the wanted man did not give up peacefully and was bitten several times by the police service dog. “After Artie’s discussion with Mr. Stewart, he decided to announce his surrender and crawl out of the pipe,” officials have since humorously reported.
LEADING THE SCNS HEADLINES:
Fall River man gets nearly 14 years in prison after admitting to 12 Burney area arson fires
Unregistered Shingletown sex offender arrested after attempting to lure Redding girl into van
Seven recent Mt. Shasta arrests include intoxicated woman who battered officer
Driver airlifted after big rig loaded with pool chemicals plows into Burney bank
Religion Today: Kids Learning Lessons of Kindness During Ongoing Pandemic
Although few details were immediately known regarding the attempted murder investigation and warrant that ultimately led to Stewart’s apprehension, last night’s incident began around 7 p.m., when Mt. Shasta PD K-9 Artie and his handler, MSPD Sergeant Moore, received a mutual aid request for assistance from the Yreka Police Department and the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office at the Yreka casino.
“Information provided was that Kevin Stewart had fled on foot from officers when he was contacted regarding an outstanding felony arrest warrant for attempted homicide,” MSPD later wrote in a tongue-in-cheek social media release about the arrest. “A perimeter was formed, after it was believed that Kevin was concealed behind a large rock pile downhill from the Casino.”
Mt. Shasta PD K-9 Artie was instrumental in apprehending a man wanted for attempted murder near the Rain Rock Casino in Yreka last night. MSPD photo
Although numerous announcements were made for Stewart to surrender to waiting officers he initially refused, at which time K-9 Artie was deployed to search the area.
Artie quickly tracked the hiding man to a small, half-buried pipe just behind the rock pile and alerted officers that he was inside the pipe and refusing to surrender.
“K-9 Artie was deployed into the pipe and bit Kevin several times,” MSPD explained; humorously adding, “After Artie’s discussion with Mr. Stewart, he decided to announce his surrender and crawl out of the pipe.”
Stewart was taken into custody without further incident and was treated for several dog-bite related injuries before being booked into Siskiyou County Jail on his outstanding attempted murder warrant and associated fleeing and resisting arrest charges. Online jail records indicate he was also booked on several failure to appear warrants on other cases dating back to at least 2019.
“We would like to take this opportunity to commend K-9 Artie for his role in the safe resolution of this event,” MSPD went on to say after last night’s arrest.
“Had K-9 Artie not been present, officers may not have seen or noticed the hidden drain pipe that Kevin was hiding inside,” they continued. “With K-9 Artie, he alerted officers to the suspects presence and successfully convinced Kevin to surrender peacefully, minimizing risk of injury to officers, the community, and further injury to the suspect himself.”
“Thank you K-9 Artie, atta boy!”, officials added.
Contacted for further information regarding the circumstances that led to Stewart’s attempted murder warrant and arrest, the Yreka Police Department had not been responded back to SCNS as of this article.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery, 50, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS).
Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County-based newspapers Valley News, Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; the Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County; and Mountain Echo in Shasta County. He is also a regular contributor to Thin Blue Line TV and Law Enforcement News Network and has had his stories featured on news stations throughout the Southern California and North State regions.
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 30 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 18 grandchildren.
Pingback: After 2-year pandemic hiatus, Intermountain area residents excited to have football – and local coverage – back – Riverside County News Source
Pingback: Juvenile arrested after Redding knife attack leaves man in critical condition – Riverside County News Source