Suspect in officer killing shot dead [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

Dec. 19--State police troopers shot and killed a man sought in the slaying of one East Washington police officer and the wounding of another after he emerged armed from the rear of a surrounded house.

State police said Eli Franklin Myers, 58, came out of the back of a house at Fifth and Shell streets in Webster about 9:30 a.m. carrying a large-caliber handgun and "engaged" before troopers fired.

Mr. Myers had been charged in a warrant with homicide, attempted homicide and two counts of aggravated assault after the shootings of two officers hours earlier, according to online court records.

East Washington police Officer John David Dryer, 46, of Claysville, died about two hours after a traffic-stop shooting along Interstates 70-79 late Sunday. He was pronounced dead at 1:04 a.m. in the emergency room of Washington Hospital.

The shooting was reported shortly after 11 p.m. in Washington County about a half-mile east of the East Beau Street exit (Route 136).

The second shot officer, Robert V. Caldwell III, 46, is in fair condition at Allegheny General Hospital, a spokesman there said.

Officer Dryer stops a dark-colored minivan

At a press conference this afternoon and in documents, authorities laid out what they believe happened:

Officer Dryer pulled over the dark-colored minivan Mr. Myers drove at about 11 p.m. The reason for the stop was not immediately clear. Officer Caldwell arrived as back-up.

Mr. Myers did not have valid insurance nor valid registration, so Officer Dryer told him he planned to tow the minivan, authorities said.

Then he asked Mr. Myers if he had weapons in the car. Mr. Myers said yes. Officer Dryer asked him to get out of the car.

When he opened the door, Mr. Myers fired once, hitting Officer Dryer near the groin.

Officer Caldwell took cover. Mr. Myers shot at him at least once, hitting him in a hand.

Mr. Myers walked to where Officer Dryer lay on the highway and stood over him, raised his gun and fired once into the side of the officer's head.

Officer Caldwell fired at Mr. Myers, though it is unclear whether Officer Dryer did.

Officer Caldwell made an emergency shots-fired radio broadcast at 11:12 p.m.

A driver from Rusty's Towing arrived to pick up the minivan as the officers had asked before Mr. Myers left.

"I got to get out of here," Mr. Myers told the driver.

The driver tried to get him to stay, even leaning in the driver's window. Mr. Myers sped off as the driver broke the rear driver's-side window trying to stop him.

Officer Dryer, a part-time officer since August 2010, also worked as a veterinarian at Chestnut Veterinary Clinic in Washington. Officer Caldwell, on the force since February 2010, is a retired state police trooper.

"We are all deeply saddened by these events," Washington County District Attorney Steve Toprani said. "This is not an easy day for any of us."

Mr. Toprani said the early prognosis for Officer Caldwell following hand surgery was good.

The men were among the East Washington police department's 15 part-time officers. The only full-time sworn cop is the chief.

It has been a tumultuous few months for the East Washington police department.

In October, its chief, Don Solomon, was indicted on federal corruption charges. The borough council fired him in November.

Suspect tracked quickly

Police spent much of the morning at the home at Fifth and Shell, where where they believed the gunman had barricaded himself about midnight.

A Rostraver fire official said police fired tear gas into the house sometime overnight but there were no signs of movement inside.

John Watroba III, a Webster resident, said he tried to get to his home on Logan Street about 12:30 a.m., but police had the whole area sealed off.

The Belle Vernon Area School District closed for the day because of the standoff.

People who live near the house, which had nearly all of its windows shot out, reported hearing several gunshots. Minutes later, the officers walked out casually as a KDKA-TV helicopter hovered over the house and a body lying on the ground.

Mr. Watroba III said the suspected gunman had moved into the neighborhood just two years ago and wasn't too friendly. He said he often saw Mr. Myers shoveling coal outside the house.

"He was not very talkative," Mr. Watroba said about Mr. Myers. "He was very backwards, impersonable."

Mr. Myers worked as a part-time officer for the West Newton Police Department in the late 1970's, said Pamela Humenik, secretary treasurer of the borough.

Ms. Humenik said she was unsure when Mr. Myers retired from the department, but his name came up in borough council meeting minutes from that time, she said.

An officer and a veterinarian

In 2000, Officer Dryer, who went by "Dave" or "David," was a 34-year-old veterinarian and wildlife conservation officer when he spoke with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about training bloodhounds.

"I've always wanted to be a police officer," Officer Dryer said then.

He had been a volunteer fireman for 14 years and an emergency medical technician for six years.

"I already have a lot of the training I need, and, frankly, I got tired of the sirens and flashing lights and being in the limelight," he said in the 2000 story. "I thought I'd like to try doing something one-on-one with my dog," he said.

Officer Dryer used $2,000 of his own money to train at the Indiana University Municipal Police Academy.

"I want to be taken seriously, and I've discovered that in order to do that, you need credentials and the proper training," he said.

Officer Dryer found motivation in his own home.

"My son Ben, who is 5, was very sick when he was born. In fact, a couple of times I thought I was going to lose him," he said. "I think this is why I want to search for missing people, particularly children. I feel so fortunate to have Ben. Even when he was sick, at least I knew where he was. I can't imagine having a child disappear without a trace. Perhaps I can help to return a lost or missing child back home."

Gov. Tom Corbett today ordered all Pennsylvania flags in the Capitol Complex and at commonwealth facilities in Washington County to fly at half-staff to honor Officer Dryer.

The governor's order will remain in effect until after Officer Dryer's burial Friday.

Officer Dryer was the oldest of three siblings and is survived by his parents and 17-year-old son, relatives said.

Recalling a life of service

Officer Dryer had worked as a deputy wildlife conservation officer for the state's game commission since 1996, serving out of the south Washington district, said Tom Fazi, information and education supervisor for the office.

"Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family," Mr. Fazi said. "We're all saddened here."

He also had worked as a part-time officer for several other Washington County police departments.

Ethan Ward, a district judge in western Washington County and former chief of the Donegal Township police department, hired Mr. Dryer to work for the small, rural department in the late 1990s.

The department on West Virginia's border had little money, so Officer Dryer, who made a good living as a vet, used his own funds to buy field sobriety equipment, Judge Ward said. When the officers went on training, Officer Dryer paid for the gas, the judge said.

"People will never know how much Dave Dryer did because he wasn't a self-promoter," Judge Ward said.

Officer Dryer was a man of many interests. In addition to working as a vet, police officer, game warden and volunteer firefighter, he owned a farm on the Donegal-East Finley border. While some officers want to work for big departments or get into detective work, Officer Dryer loved rural policing, Judge Ward said.

"What's ironic about this is the reason Dave got into law enforcement is the reason Dave is dead today," Judge Ward said.

Visitation for Officer Dryer is from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and from 2 p.m. to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the William G. Neal Funeral Homes, 925 Allison Ave., Washington.

The funeral is at 2 p.m. Friday at Immaculate Conception Church, with burial following in West Middletown Cemetery.

Jon Schmitz: [email protected] or 412-263-1868. Moriah Balingit: [email protected] or 412-263-2533. Sadie Gurman: [email protected] or 412-263-1878.

___

(c)2011 the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Visit the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette at www.post-gazette.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services