Two state troopers were charged with assault stemming from an incident earlier this year in Kenai in which a man was mistaken for another suspect and hospitalized due to actions by the officers, according to law officials.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -
According to charging documents, on May 24, 2024, Soldotna dispatch notified local police about a public assistance call they received who they believed to have come from a man, Garrett Tikka, who had an outstanding misdemeanor warrant for his arrest for failing to serve a 10-day sentence for driving while his license was revoked.
Upon attempting to contact the occupant of the vehicle, the man remained hidden in the rear of the SUV for several minutes and did not respond to law enforcement. The man — later identified as Ben Tikka — was said to have been seen in the back of the vehicle and disputed the fact that he had an active warrant.
As Tikka, lying face-down, placed his hands behind his back, he was repeatedly bitten by the police dog, named Olex, which had also bitten its handler, Woodruff, minutes earlier, the documents say. After the initial review, Alaska Department of Public Safety Commissioner James Cockrell determined policy violations were potentially discovered and as a result, ordered for an investigation.
Trooper Assault Alaska Troopers State Troopers Ben Tikka Garrett Tikka
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