K9 Duke Catches up to Burglar
/A Nebraska man’s brief crime spree came to an end Saturday, thanks to a Sheriff’s Office canine and teamwork by numerous law enforcement agencies.
An elderly woman home alone called the Clay County Sheriff’s Office at about 2 pm on Feb. 4, to report an unknown vehicle that had parked in her driveway. The incident happened near H Highway and Crockett road, southwest of Excelsior Springs. She said a man then got out of the vehicle and ran behind her house.
The vehicle left in the woman’s driveway turned out to be stolen from Nebraska. Deputies and Excelsior Springs Police moved into the area to locate the driver who was later identified as Timothy M. Miller, 38, of Omaha, Nebraska.
Soon, dispatchers reported a caller had seen a man acting oddly walking on Cameron Road nearby. As deputies were moving to that area, they got another report a truck was just stolen from farmers at Cameron Road and NE 136th Street. The victims were in their barn and saw their truck being driven away.
The Kansas City Missouri Police helicopter joined in to try to locate the suspect vehicle. They saw it exit from 92 Highway to southbound Interstate 35 in Kearney.
Kearney Police pursued the vehicle, and Sheriff’s deputies took over at the city limit. A Sheriff’s deputy and Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper were able to successfully deploy Stop Sticks, deflating the suspect’s tires, and bring the truck safely to a stop by the exit to 152 Highway.
At that point, the suspect got out of the truck and ran. Deputies, including K9 Duke, ran after him. Duke apprehended the suspect in the median of the highway. After being treated for his dog bite at the hospital, the suspect was booked at the Clay County Detention Center, where he remains in custody on a $40,000 bond.
Miller has now been charged with tampering with a motor vehicle and resisting arrest by fleeing.
KPGZ News - Sarah Boyd with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office contributed to this story