NewsWest 9
ODESSA – Two men were arrested following a weekend incident in Odessa but one man attempted to choke a police K-9 while he was being arrested.
Odessa Police tell NewsWest 9, it all started when police officers heard gunshots coming from the area of 7th and Graham around 1:30 a.m. Saturday.
Shortly after officers heard the gunshots, they saw a green Chevrolet extended cab truck traveling eastbound on 7th Street near Graham with a front passenger hanging his arm out the window holding a pistol.
Officers caught up with the vehicle near 14th and Whitaker and attempted to conduct a traffic stop but the driver evaded officers.
The vehicle later stopped at the intersection of 14th and Graham.
Officers identified the driver as 34-year-old Adrian Jason Riojas and 43-year-old Joseph William Kay as a passenger in the vehicle.
That's when Kay exited the vehicle and refused to follow commands. Kay became combative and aggressive towards officers while attempting to walk back to the vehicle.
Officers then tried to use a police K-9 as a less lethal method but as officers tried to handcuff Kay, he resisted and refused to follow commands while choking the police K-9 to the point it was gasping for air.
Kay was later handcuffed and taken into custody where police later learned Kay was a convicted felon.
After a search of the vehicle, police found marijuana underneath the front passenger seat.
Kay has been charged with interfering with a police service animal, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, resisting arrest and possession of marijuana.
