2 Caruthersville officers assaulted during response to domestic call

CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. -- Two Caruthersville police officers are recovering after they were assaulted while responding to a family disturbance.

At 8:23 p.m. Sunday the Caruthersville Police Department received a 911 call from a child reporting adults were fighting inside a residence in the 700 block of West 10th Street. The dispatcher noted an adult had hung up the phone while the child was talking, according to a news release from Caruthersville Police Chief Chris Riggs.

At the scene, Bo Bridges told officers his father, Doyle Wayne Thomas Bridges of De Soto, Ill., had gotten intoxicated and began destroying furniture in the residence, Riggs said. Bo Bridges said when his father was informed the police were on their way he ran out the door to hide.

Officer Richard Altice remained outside the residence talking with Bo Bridges' brother, Jimmy Bridges of Caruthersville, while officer Andy Thrasher went inside the house to gather information.

Inside the residence Thrasher was confronted by Clinton Bridges of Desoto, Ill., who was described as uncooperative and highly intoxicated. When the officer asked to Clinton Bridges to place his hands behind his back he refused and became combative.

"While officer Thrasher was attempting to place handcuffs on Clinton, his brother Doyle came back in the residence from the outside and attacked Officer Thrasher from the rear, hitting Officer Thrasher in the back of the head with a piece of wood, believed to have come off of a kitchen chair," Riggs said.

Doyle Bridges struck the officer in the face and the head with his fist numerous times, according to the report.

Altice attempted to stop the attack by deploying his stun gun.

"The taser did not have any affect on Doyle," Riggs said in the news release. "At which time Doyle attacked Officer Altice, striking Officer Altice in the head with some type of object."

Other officers began arriving on the scene. Caruthersville police officers along with Pemiscot County sheriff deputies brought the situation under control and placed the three brothers under arrest.

As an officer placed Doyle Bridges in the front seat of a Pemiscot County deputy's vehicle he again became irate, Riggs said, and kicked out the vehicle's windshield.

The three men were taken to the Pemiscot County Jail.

Doyle Bridges is charged with two counts of first-degree assault on a law enforcement officer, armed criminal action, resisting arrest and property damage. Clinton Bridges is charged with one count of first-degree assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest. Jimmy Bridges is charged with willfully opposed a police officer.

The two police officers were taken by ambulance to the Pemiscot County Memorial Health Systems at Hayti, Mo., for treatment of their injuries.

Pertinent address:

Caruthersville, MO