Man accused in K-9 killing chase bonds out
Affidavit: 18-year-old caught at scene day later
An Odessa man bonded out of jail Sunday after, authorities said, he led a deputy on a chase that resulted in a K-9 unit’s death.
Kazoe, a 4–year-old male German Shepherd, died after he was struck by an unknown vehicle while in pursuit of a man evading arrest, an Ector County Sheriff’s Office news release stated.
Eighteen-year-old Angel Herrera Morales, 804 W. 19th St., was released Sunday morning on bonds totaling $21,000 from the Ector County Detention Center and was charged with second-degree felony interference of a police service animal (with death).
At around 11 p.m. Friday, Sgt. Robbie Strahan and Kazoe were involved in a vehicle chase, the release stated.
The vehicle ran several stop signs and came to rest in a field south of Eighth Street and west of West Loop 338, Duesler said.
The man then exited the vehicle and ran from the officer leading Strahan to deploy Kazoe to pursue him, Duesler said.
Strahan and Kazoe chased the man into the field but he eluded the officer and Kazoe was killed after being hit by an unknown vehicle, Duesler said.
Strahan and Kazoe had worked together since 2009.
At around 3:26 p.m. Saturday, sheriff’s deputies responded to a suspicious vehicle call in the 700 block of Avenue G, Morales’ probable cause affidavit stated.
A caller reported to deputies that two men were in a field appearing to be looking for something, the affidavit stated.
Deputy Oscar Limon saw a man in the field without a shirt on running away from him and crouching down between brush, the affidavit stated.
The deputy pulled his stun gun and ordered one man down on the ground, the affidavit stated. The 20-year-old was charged with a misdemeanor evading arrest charge in Saturday’s incident.
Morales also attempted to flee Saturday before being detained by Department of Public Safety troopers, the affidavit stated.
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