Foot Pursuit Leads To Arrest, Minor Injury Of Deputy

An attempted arrest in Cuba on Oct. 22 resulted in a brief foot pursuit, the injury of a deputy and the eventual capture of a suspect with outstanding felony warrants.

Curtis Henson, of Owensville, has been charged with resisting/interfering with arrest and second-degree property damage.

A warrant was issued Nov. 21 for his arrest.

Deputy officers responded to a property in Cuba to apprehend Henson, who was wanted on two felony no-bond warrants for operating a vehicle without a valid license. 

Two deputies went to the property and immediately spotted Henson standing outside. 

Upon noticing the marked patrol vehicle, Henson fled eastward across the property despite the deputy's commands to stop. The deputy initiated a foot pursuit, repeatedly identifying himself as law enforcement and ordering Henson to halt. Henson ignored the commands and continued running, changing direction to head north. As the deputy prepared to deploy a taser to halt the chase, he tripped over a wire tied between two trees, causing him to fall, drop the taser, and sustain injuries.

After recovering his taser, the deputy saw Henson attempting to climb through a barbed wire fence. Ignoring a final warning, Henson continued his escape attempt, prompting the deputy to fire five rounds from his taser. Following the taser deployment, Henson complied, returning to the deputy and surrendering without further incident. Another deputy then took Henson into custody.

Due to injuries sustained during the pursuit, including pain in the ribs and an abrasion near his ankle, the deputy requested emergency medical assistance at the scene. EMS personnel evaluated the injuries and transported the deputy to Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan, Missouri, for treatment.