New Austin police officer sworn-in
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, April 17, 2001
New Austin Police Department officer Kevin Sederquest was sworn-in Monday morning.
Tuesday, April 17, 2001
New Austin Police Department officer Kevin Sederquest was sworn-in Monday morning.
Ceremonies were held at Austin City Hall in the council chambers with Mayor Bonnie Rietz officiating.
Sederquest replaces patrolman Brad Bednar, a long-time veteran of the department, who retired.
Complaints investigated
Patrons of Torge’s Bar and Grille at Holiday Inn Austin complained to Austin police and fire department officials over the weekend.
According to Police Chief Paul M. Philipp, the complaints concerned allegations of over-crowding in the popular bar Friday and Saturday evenings. One complaint also alleged minors were being served alcoholic beverages.
Both police and fire department officials investigated the complaints and found them not to be true.
The bar has a legal capacity of 450 people and the officers who investigated the complaints found fire exits and access to them to be within the law.
Austin Fire Department Inspector Ron Felten will follow-up the investigations this week, according to the police chief.
Woman arrested
Brenda Hardy will be charged by complaint summons with second degree assault following an altercation in the parking lot outside Target Store Austin Saturday.
According to an Austin Police Department report, police were called to the scene to investigate reports of women fighting in the parking lot.
When they arrived at 3:36 p.m. Saturday in the midst of Easter holiday weekend shopping crowds, several women were observed in a group and questioned.
Hardy allegedly struck another woman with a brick, causing a minor injury, according to the police report. The victim did not require hospitalization.
One dog ‘dispatched’
One of two Rottweiler dogs owned by Carry Bergin, 27 of Austin, was shot and killed after it attempted to attack an Austin Police Department officer.
Another Rottweiler dog owned by Bergin was taken to the Austin Animal Shelter.
According to a police report, officers were called to an apartment building at 408 5th Place Northwest at 1:50 a.m. Saturday to investigate reports of dangerous dogs.
Tenants and visitors to the apartment building said Bergin’s 2 Rottweiler dogs were in an entryway to the apartments and were preventing access or exit to the building.
When police arrived, the building’s owner had been there and inadvertently allowed the dogs, which were not otherwise leashed on the pork, to escape and run loose.
While officers were investigating the complaints and talking to eyewitnesses outside the apartment, one of the dogs moved toward the individuals in a menacing manner, growling and with bared teeth. When the police officer backed away from the animal, the dog rushed toward him. The officer drew his sidearm and fired one shot at the dog killing the animal instantly.
The other dog was coaxed into a community service officer’s squad car without incident and taken to the Austin Animal Shelter.
Bergin, who was not home at the time of the incident, will be charged with loose and dangerous animal violations.
According to Police Chief Paul M. Philipp, officers are allowed to discharge weapons to dispatch animals. However, the shooting will be reviewed by the department’s use-of-force compliance officer.