MITCHELL— A Mitchell man who had been evading law enforcement for nearly a week was detained after a late-night call to dispatch for “difficulty sleeping” ended in a physical struggle with Lawrence County deputies.
Dylan Petro, 30, was arrested Saturday, February 21, at his residence on US Highway 50 West. In addition to previous felony charges, he now faces a new count of resisting law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor.
The incident began around 10:28 p.m. when Petro placed a call to Lawrence County Dispatch. According to the probable cause affidavit filed by Deputy Kyle Long, Petro complained of being unable to sleep and struggled to answer basic questions. Dispatchers, noting his erratic demeanor, categorized the call as a “psych problem” and requested that EMS stage nearby until deputies could secure the scene.
What Petro may not have realized was that he was already a wanted man. Since February 15, police had been searching for him in connection with an ongoing criminal case involving battery and multiple other offenses.
When Deputy Long and three other officers arrived, Petro exited his home voluntarily. Deputies reported that Petro showed clear signs of impairment, including unsteady balance and erratic movements.
While EMS evaluated him, Petro reportedly stated he wanted help for “substance-related concerns” but denied taking anything in the previous 24 hours. Once EMS cleared him, Sergeant Whitney Daughtery contacted an on-call prosecutor, who confirmed that Petro should be taken into custody immediately based on the existing probable cause from the prior week’s battery incident.
The situation turned volatile when deputies informed Petro he was under arrest. According to the affidavit, Petro refused to walk to the patrol vehicle. He reportedly pulled his arms away from Deputy Long and Deputy Clifford Pruett as they attempted to escort him.
Despite multiple verbal warnings from three different officers that continued resistance would lead to additional charges, Petro remained non-compliant until he was eventually secured in the rear seat of a patrol car.
Petro was transported to the Lawrence County Jail, where he was booked on the original battery-related charges from February 15 as well as the new charge for resisting. The entire interaction was captured on body-worn cameras.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on the information provided in the probable cause affidavit and does not represent a final determination of guilt or innocence.
