A chase in Minden early Saturday morning ended with the arrest of a local man and injuries to a police K9 and two officers. The incident began around 1 AM when an officer on patrol observed a vehicle making multiple laps around the Chestnut/East Street area, a behavior often associated with drug trafficking.
The officer attempted a traffic stop after the vehicle drove on the wrong side of Cherry Street. The driver, later identified as Carl Rugely, 37, of Plateau Street, fled the scene, running several stop signs and driving erratically. The pursuit continued onto the interstate, where Rugely avoided spike strips and attempted to evade law enforcement by weaving and rear-ending Officer Sparks’ patrol unit.
Rugely was eventually pinned between two law enforcement vehicles but refused to exit his car. After officers broke a window to access the vehicle, Rugely resisted arrest. Sgt. Hackett’s taser deployment was ineffective, prompting the use of K9 Tigo to assist. Rugely fought with the K9, resulting in injuries to both the dog and himself.
Officers discovered 2.3 grams of marijuana and a Taurus G3 9mm handgun in Rugely’s vehicle. Rugely, a convicted felon on state probation, was taken to Minden Medical Center for treatment before being booked into the Minden Police Department. He faces multiple charges, including aggravated flight, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and driving with a suspended license.
Rugely denied possession of the gun, stating that “the only things in the vehicle that were his was the Bibles,” according to the police report. When asked why he did not stop, Rugely told the officer that his vehicle would not stop. When asked why he swerved when officers were trying to block him in, Rugely stated that “the car did that too.”
K9 Tigo will undergo a post-bite exam at Minden Animal Clinic to ensure no further medical issues arise from the incident.
The injuries sustained by Officer Sparks, Sgt. Hackett, and K9 Tigo were documented and will be added to evidence.