A 52-year-old Pineville man faces eight charges after a confrontation Sunday involving a Bell County sheriff’s detective, a Pineville police officer and a dog that later died after being shot by officers. The encounter followed reports of a man cursing and throwing objects at vehicles near a park, authorities said.
According to a press release from the Bell County Sheriff’s Department, Detective Hunter Luttrell and Pineville Police Officer Samson Churchwell found Johnny Ray Gambrel in the roadway near Green Camp Road, about nine miles from his residence. Citizens in the Arjay community had reportedly raised concerns that Gambrel was claiming to have a gun.
Gambrel allegedly refused an order to stop and took a combative stance, while also threatening a nearby family that included children and saying he would kill them. After officers handcuffed him, he allegedly continued resisting, called for his dog to attack and threatened the officers while claiming he had a gun.
Officers used a Taser and pepper spray while trying to get Gambrel into a cruiser, according to the account. The dog then attacked Luttrell, puncturing both of the detective’s ankles; officers shot the animal four times, and it died shortly afterward.
Eight charges follow the roadside confrontation
Gambrel was charged with first-degree disorderly conduct, third-degree assault of a police officer, resisting arrest, first-degree fleeing or evading police on foot, public intoxication involving a controlled substance excluding alcohol, menacing, first-degree criminal trespass and third-degree terroristic threatening. He was lodged at the Bell County Detention Center.
The Bell County Detention Center notes that people who have been charged are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. The department’s release did not provide additional information about a court date or defense attorney.
Officials cite several earlier encounters
The release says deputies had encountered Gambrel multiple times before Sunday’s arrest. In recent encounters, officials said he had been armed with a machete and hammer, while a Bell County EMS member was bitten by the dog during another call.
Luttrell was treated for serious injuries at Pineville Community Health Center and later released, officials said. The case remains based on allegations described by law enforcement, with the charges now moving through the court process.
