K-9 officer killed in the line of duty

NAMPA, Idaho (Gray News) – A K-9 officer with the Nampa Police Department in Idaho was killed in the line of duty Saturday evening.

The police department said in a post on Facebook the patrol SUV that K-9 Riddick was riding in was rammed by a suspect during a police pursuit.

The SUV rolled off the road and crashed.

Riddick died at the scene.

Riddick’s handler, Officer Cody Huss, was taken to the hospital for treatment and has since been released.

The police department said the K-9 officer was one of 12 in the Nampa Police K-9 Unit.

Riddick was a 3-year-old German Shepherd who was trained and certified in apprehension and drug detection.

The K-9 died while working a case where the suspect was accused of heading to a commercial location to sell drugs.

Huss attempted to pull over the suspected vehicle, but the female driver didn’t stop so the officer tried to perform Precision Immobilization Technique.

The driver of the suspected vehicle turned into the police SUV, causing both to roll over and land in a cornfield.

The driver of the suspected car, Stephanie Ann Kettermann, was treated at the hospital and then released to police custody and now faces several drug-related charges.

Tanner Lucas Howe, a passenger in the vehicle, was found shortly after and arrested on a parole agent’s warrant.

Huss and the K-9 Unit plan to hold a public service remembrance for Riddick in the near future.

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