Authorities taser combative man found with meth

Jasper — An officer was forced to taser a combative male subject today after a Jasper K-9 detected narcotics on a motor scooter the man was driving.

A Dubois County Sheriff’s deputy observed a male subject operating a motor scooter and commit a series of traffic infractions at about 10 a.m. on Thursday. The deputy made contact with the driver, Leon O. Mehling, 63, when he pulled the scooter into his residence at 202 E. 15th Street, Jasper. The Jasper K-9 unit responded to assist the deputy as Mehling was suspected to be operating the scooter while intoxicated.

During the stop, the K-9 indicated there were narcotics on the scooter and Mehling became combative and uncooperative. He continued resisting the officers who were attempting to handcuff him and kicked the assisting Jasper police officer, forcing the officers to resort to tasing Mehling.

During the search incident to the arrest, the deputy located a baggie of methamphetamine on Mehling’s person.

Mehling was transported to Memorial Hospital for a blood draw but he refused. The investigating officer requested and was granted a search warrant for the bodily fluids but Mehling still refused to allow the test.

Mehling was charged with six Level 6 felonies; battery causing injury to a police officer (the Jasper officer suffered scrapes to his hand from the kick), resisting law enforcement, possession of methamphetamine, obstruction of justice, operating while intoxicated and operating while classified as a habitual traffic violator for life.

He was booked into the Dubois County Security Center.

The Dubois County Sheriffs Department was assisted by officers from the Jasper Police Department, Memorial Emergency Medical Services, and Jasper first responders.