A man suspected of violating a protection order allegedly crawled through a hole in the ceiling at an apartment complex — and Lincoln Police officers and a police dog followed him up there.
the Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 7:00 pm
A man suspected of violating a protection order allegedly crawled through a hole in the ceiling at an apartment complex — and Lincoln Police officers and a police dog followed him up there.
Monday evening, Wesley Haslett Jr., 33, allegedly went to Regency Apartments near 70th and A streets to the home of a woman who had a protection order against him, said Officer Katie Flood.
When officers knocked on the door at 6:40 p.m., Haslett, who also was wanted for violating parole, allegedly ripped through the drywall ceiling of a south bedroom, stepped on the seat of a boy’s bicycle and boosted himself up into the attic area, Flood said.
The woman who lives at the apartment let officers inside, and Officer John Clarke, his dog, Beersie-Remo, and two other officers were hoisted into the attic to find Haslett, Flood said.
Haslett is 6 feet 7 inches tall and weighs 275 pounds.
Once he was in the attic, he allegedly continued south and damaged at least two other apartments, Flood said. Insulation fell from the ceiling and covered the bathroom of an adjacent apartment, and Haslett also broke a hole in some drywall to get into another attic space, Flood said.
Haslett was discovered lying in that space around 8:15 p.m., and officers told him to come with them or they would let the dog come after him, Flood said.
Haslett went with police willingly, Flood said. He was arrested on suspicion of violating the protection order and parole, as well as vandalism.
At one point during the search, Officer Clarke lost his footing and fell through the ceiling before catching himself and pulling himself back up, Flood said. He suffered pain to his left shoulder.
Damage to the apartment building totaled at least $500, Flood said. There was an additional $250 damage to the spot where Clarke fell through the ceiling.
All the tenants living in apartments affected by the incident were given alternate accommodations, Flood said.