FAMILY CLAIMS PIKEVILLE SUSPECT WAS KILLED BY K-9, SUING BLEDSOE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT
A family is suing the Bledsoe County Sheriff’s Office in connection with the February 2021 death of a Pikeville man.
The lawsuit says 41-year-old Chad Songer died shortly after two sheriff’s deputies confronted him in his front yard, and claims that deputies released a K9 on him which captured him and bit him several times, which contributed to his death.
The incident happened on February 1st, 2021 at Songer’s home on Brookdale Road in Pikeville.
Shortly after the incident happened, Bledsoe County Sheriff Jimmy Morris told us Songer had a probation violation and a couple of other criminal warrants, including failure to pay child support.
The lawsuit claims Bledsoe County Sheriff’s Deputies Chase Roberts and Matthew Brock drove onto his driveway “in an aggressive manner,” got out, and with a K9 officer, told Songer he was under arrest.
The lawsuit says Songer, who was unarmed, backed away, fearing for his safety.
That’s when the lawsuit says Deputy Roberts unleashed the K9. Songer ran away, but the K9 caught up with him, biting him “numerous times.”
Songer was later pronounced dead at Erlanger Hospital.
A medical examiner’s report we obtained says Songer’s oThe incident happened on February 1st, 2021 at Songer’s home on Brookdale Road in Pikeville.
Shortly after the incident happened, Bledsoe County Sheriff Jimmy Morris told us Songer had a probation violation and a couple of other criminal warrants, including failure to pay child support.
The lawsuit claims Bledsoe County Sheriff’s Deputies Chase Roberts and Matthew Brock drove onto his driveway “in an aggressive manner,” got out, and with a K9 officer, told Songer he was under arrest.
The lawsuit says Songer, who was unarmed, backed away, fearing for his safety.
That’s when the lawsuit says Deputy Roberts unleashed the K9. Songer ran away, but the K9 caught up with him, biting him “numerous times.”
Songer was later pronounced dead at Erlanger Hospital.
A medical examiner’s report we obtained says Songer’s official cause of death was “acute methamphetamine toxicity,” but also lists a “contributory cause of death” as “dog bite.”
But the lawsuit claims the dog bite was the cause of Songer’s death.
The local district attorney told us he presented this case to a grand jury, which decided the deputies should not face any charges.
The lawsuit is asking for a total of $200 million in damages.
