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Officials: Gun-toting veteran saves life of Bastrop deputy

1:38 p.m. Jan. 28 by Jillian Beck and Andy Sevilla / Austin Community Newspapers Staff

Not thinking about his own life, a local Marine veteran jumped into action and stopped a man from reaching a Bastrop deputy’s gun as the suspect pummeled the officer during a struggle earlier this month.

“Freeze!” Scott Perkins yelled as he pulled out his concealed handgun, pointing at the suspect.
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“I’m alive today because of him,” the deputy, 23-year-old Dylan Dorris said Wednesday, reflecting on the events surrounding a disturbance call outside a Bastrop County gas station Jan. 16. “There are no words to explain it. He’s such an outstanding citizen. He’s here for our country, our community and you really feel the love.”

Perkins’ actions caused the suspect to leave Dorris and flee, before he was detained and taken into custody by another deputy and Dorris shortly after.

Kenton Desean Fryer, 32, of Arkansas was arrested on charges of aggravated assault of a public servant, taking an officer’s weapon, evading arrest or detention with a vehicle and driving while under the influence with a child under 15. He is in Bastrop County Jail on $50,000 bail.
Before Perkins intervened, Dorris arrived at the scene at Watterson Road off Texas 304 close to 9:45 p.m. on Jan. 16 in response to a report of a man driving erratically with one of his children in the vehicle, officials said. When Dorris tried to stop the vehicle, the man drove away and then pulled into a gas station.

The man then resisted arrest and that’s when the fight ensued, Dorris said.

At a time when anti-law enforcement sentiment is seen in many parts of the country, Perkins’ decision to intervene and help Dorris has touched many in the Bastrop sheriff’s department.

“This day and time, a lot of people would just drive by and keep going,” said Sgt. James Davenport, who was the supervising officer of the incident. “To see someone that will stop and help is special.”

The few minutes when Dorris was fighting with the suspect and couldn’t check in with dispatchers felt like an eternity, Bastrop County sheriff’s dispatcher Ruth Amy said.

“It is very emotional, very emotional,” Amy said. “You go into a mode, for a lack of a better term, you go into an emergency mode and you just do what you have to do.”

In those moments, Dorris remembers fearing for his life. “I remember thinking stay in the fight. Just keep fighting, keep fighting. Do whatever you can do, just stay alive you need to go home,” Dorris said. He was transported to the hospital and treated for minor injuries that night.

Deputy David Newman, who was the first officer to respond on the scene to assist Dorris, commended Perkins’ quick and calm thinking.
“With his training and background he wasn’t able to interfere, but able to assist and that was a very key and crucial part of this incident,” Newman said.

But Perkins, who served two tours in Iraq as a Marine, doesn’t see himself as a hero.

“Anytime somebody is in need of help you should assist them. It doesn’t matter whether your life is in danger or not, you should always assist anybody who is in need,” Perkins said.

Bastrop County sheriff spokeswoman Sissy Jones said Perkins has agreed to be a witness and stay involved in the legal process for the case against Fryer.

The department plans to honor Perkins with a sheriff’s commendation for his efforts to help Dorris, Jones said.

“I think it’s important to note, with the uproar that we have on gun laws, that had Mr. Perkins not had his concealed gun on him, that suspect would have likely not paid attention to him,” Jones said.

“This is a situation where being a license to carry holder truly did save a life.”