A police informant was injured and a Ball State student was arrested when a drug bust turned into a three-hour standoff Wednesday on Neely Street.
An informant working for the Randolph County drug task force suffered cuts on his head that required stitches after he was allegedly attacked by Rahmon O. Davies, 21, 1121 W. Neely St., and Davies' dog, a stocky Doberman, Muncie Deputy Police Chief James Peters said.
Davies was arrested on charges of aggravated battery and criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon.
Peters said the informant was buying drugs from Davies in his house at Neely and Virginia avenues shortly after 2 p.m.
Davies took refuge in his one-story, gray house for almost three hours before being peacefully apprehended by Muncie officers.
The initial attack occurred after Davies realized the buyer was a police informant, Peters said.
Peters said the informant then ran out of Davies' house and notified Randolph County Officer Steve Acree, who was waiting nearby, that Davies was alone and had weapons.
Davies had a nine-millimeter handgun and a shotgun, Peters said.
Peters said Acree called the Muncie Police Department for reinforcement around 2:30 p.m.
The Randolph County Sheriff's department conducted the buy after obtaining information that led them to believe Davies was dealing drugs, Peters said.
the MPD was not notified of the drug bust until the Randolph County officer called for back-up. He said he did not know what kinds of drugs were being bought and had limited information concerning the undercover drug deal and Davies' criminal activities.
The Randolph County Sheriff's Department declined to comment.
More than 20 officers from the Muncie and University Police Departments responded and surrounded the house. Roadblocks were set up at the intersections of New York and Neely avenues and Locust Road and Neely Avenue around 3:00 p.m.
Residents between the roadblocks were evacuated from their houses at 4:00 p.m..
Around this time a crowd of about thirty had gathered near the eastern roadblock to view the standoff. Most were Ball State students.
The Muncie SWAT team, dressed in camouflage fatigues and helmets, also responded, surrounding the house around 4:30 p.m. Peters would not say how many SWAT officers responded.
Peters said a team of negotiators talked to Davies over the phone and convinced him to surrender.
SWAT officers entered the house around 5 p.m. to apprehend Davies and were attacked by his dog. Three shots were fired at the dog, Peters said. The dog was not hit and ran out of the house and down New York Avenue.
The dog was taken to the Muncie Animal Shelter.
Peters said no one was injured in the arrest and Davies did not resist.
"It was brought to a peaceful end through surrender," Peters said.
Brian Roland, who lives near Davies, said the arrest surprised him.
"He (Davies) is a great kid," said Roland, a BSU student, as he watched the standoff from Locust Rd. "I never expected this."
Other neighbors, such as Chris Pestow, disagreed.
"People were coming in and out of his house all day everyday," said Pestow, who lives across the street. "I've seriously been waiting for him to get busted."
Pestow, a senior majoring in criminal justice, said he provided Muncie officers with information concerning the weapons inside.
Peters said Davies was taken to the Delaware County jail.
He also said any drug charges brought against Davies will come from Randolph County at a later time.
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