Two Tallahassee men arrested after chasing Madison County officers Thursday

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Two Tallahassee men are behind bars after leading deputies on a chase in Madison County Thursday, according to the Madison County Sheriff's Office.

Daniel-Isiah Terry, 20, and William Linton, 29, both of Tallahassee, are charged with three drug offenses each, according to Madison County Jail records. Terry is also charged with fleeing or eluding a law enforcement officer at a high rate of speed and causing serious injury to a police animal, records show.

Their arrests follow an incident Thursday in Madison County that left a K-9 deputy in critical condition and hospitalized with heat-related illness.

On Thursday, Madison County Sheriff David Harper announced that Archer, a 6-year-old dog, played a key role in capturing a suspect, who was later identified as Terry.

Officers were dispatched to pursue Terry after he fled a traffic stop that day, according to MCSO. An officer attempted to stop Terry after seeing him speeding on Interstate 10, MCSO Undersheriff Chris Andrews said.

However, Andrews said Terry did not stop and instead took an exit off State Road 14 in Madison County, driving down a dirt road and crashing into a stand of trees. Terry then abandoned the car, with the passenger inside, and fled into the woods, the undersheriff said Thursday.

That's when MCSO deployed a drone and a K-9 Archer, which MCSO said led them to capture Terry in the trees in an area near Sampala Lake Road.

“This dog immediately picked up the individual that had fled the vehicle and followed the deputy to him,” Deputy Andrews said in a video posted to Facebook Thursday. “As soon as they got close, the individual jumped up and started running again. So we ended up catching the guy.”

According to Andrews, K-9 Archer overheated while tracking Terry.

K-9 Archer began acting sick as he and his handler returned to the car after locating Terry, Andrews said during the video, prompting his handler to immediately seek medical treatment for K-9 Archer.

The German shepherd was stabilized at the Madison Veterinary Clinic the same day before being rushed and escorted by a deputy to Allied Veterinary Emergency Hospital in Tallahassee, according to Sheriff Harper.

By Thursday, K-9 Archer's condition was changing rapidly. “It's 50/50 right now,” Andrews said that day.

On Thursday night, Deputy Andrews said the dog's condition was “better than it was.” About an hour later, Deputy Andrews announced that Archer the dog was being transported to the University of Florida Small Animal Hospital in Gainesville.

Sheriff Harper said in a Facebook update that night that the K-9 deputy was showing signs of improvement, but his condition was still considered critical.

The sheriff's office posted another update on Facebook Friday morning, saying the 6-year-old dog remains in intensive care at UF Small Animal Hospital in Gainesville and continues to receive plasma transfusions.

“His condition has not changed significantly at this time, but he is stable and has not deteriorated. That is positive,” Sheriff Harper said in Friday’s update. “There remains much uncertainty as he continues to receive the best care available.”

The 6-year-old dog has been with the MCSO police force for about five years, according to Undersheriff Andrews.

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