Pender County Sheriff addresses the public after incident spurs complaints filed with Department of Labor

PENDER COUNTY (WWAY) — The Pender County Sheriff’s Department is speaking out after a safety complaint was filed with the North Carolina Department of Labor.

This all started February 27, when two Pender County deputies driving a K-9 vehicle arrested a man, and then placed him in the vehicle’s dog cage.

While waiting for backup, deputies left the man unsupervised in the vehicle for 26 minutes. The man broke free, got into the front seat, where the suspect’s gun was secured, and escaped.

Both deputies have since resigned.

The complaint to the Department of Labor lists three hazards, including that deputies were not given a sufficient vehicle with seatbelts for inmates.

Sheriff Alan Cutler responded to the complaint, saying the man was put in the cage so deputies could catch their breath and not risk their safety. Cutler said when a backup vehicle did arrive, the deputies did not act with a sense of urgency, and continued to leave the man unattended.

Deputies are still searching for the man who escaped.