K-9 Breck assists in search, arrest

A Readstown man faces charges of trespassing and resisting/obstructing law enforcement after a disturbance in Soldiers Grove Monday night, Jan. 25, according to the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department.

At 11:33 p.m., the sheriff’s department was called to 102 Prospect St. for an incident involving suspect Steven Swadley, 40. As law enforcement was responding, Swadley stole a cell phone from someone inside the residence and ran off into the woods. He was wanted by the Vernon County Sheriff’s Department for felony bail jumping and a violation of a domestic injunction.

Deputies arrived on scene from Crawford and Vernon County and began searching the area. K-9 Breck was utilized to assist in the search. He tracked to a nearby abandon residence where deputies observed forced entry through a window. Deputies, along with K-9 Breck, began searching the interior of the residence, and Breck alerted to the presence of human odor in an upstairs bedroom. Deputies then observed an attic access door in the room and gained access into the attic. Swadley was located in a void that was concealed above the attic. Swadley was given commands at Taser point, to which he surrendered.

Swadley was subsequently arrested and turned over to the Vernon County Sheriff’s Department.

Crawford County has pending charges against Swadley for trespassing and resisting/obstructing law enforcement.

The cell phone was recovered and returned to the owner.