PIERRE, SD — A Pierre man was arrested Monday night after a confrontation with police that began with a 9-1-1 call and ended with officers taking him to the Hughes County Jail. Police say the man, 21-year-old Nicholas Murphy, was also wanted on a bench warrant at the time.
Captain Kyle Cummings said Central South Dakota Communications received the emergency call about 10:15 p.m. During the call, a dispatcher heard someone in the background telling the caller not to contact 9-1-1 because they would be arrested. The line then disconnected, and dispatchers were unable to get back in touch with the caller.
Dispatchers lost contact after a warning in the background
The background comment during the call became one of the first clues officers had that the situation might involve an arrest issue. According to police, the caller did not remain on the line long enough for dispatchers to keep gathering information after the warning was heard.
With no reconnection possible, officers were sent to the 2300 block of East Franklin Avenue to check on the matter in person. The response centered on figuring out what had happened at the residence and whether anyone there needed assistance or was involved in an active law-enforcement situation.
Police have not said what prompted the original 9-1-1 call. What they did say was that the disconnected call and the comment heard by dispatchers led officers to investigate the address further.
Police met the caller and Nicholas Murphy outside the residence
When officers arrived, they made contact outside the home with both the caller and Murphy. That encounter led police to determine that Murphy had an outstanding bench warrant, which gave officers grounds to arrest him.
Officials said the warrant was confirmed before the arrest attempt unfolded. Once officers informed Murphy that he was wanted, he allegedly tried to get away instead of complying with the arrest.
The location of the encounter, on the 2300 block of East Franklin Avenue, placed the arrest in a residential area of Pierre rather than at a traffic stop or another public setting. Police did not identify anyone else as being injured or taken into custody.
Officer says Murphy tried to flee and a physical struggle followed
According to police, Murphy ran after being told about the warrant. An officer caught up with him, and the effort to detain him turned into a physical struggle as the officer tried to bring him to the ground.
During that struggle, police say Murphy struck the officer and grabbed the officer’s duty belt. The encounter was significant enough that it resulted in multiple charges tied to resisting the arrest process itself, not just the underlying warrant.
Police did not provide details about how long the struggle lasted or whether any force beyond the reported takedown attempt was used. They also did not say whether the officer suffered any injuries in the confrontation.
Charges include obstruction, assault, resisting arrest, and the warrant
Murphy was booked into the Hughes County Jail on charges of obstruction, simple assault of a law enforcement officer, and resisting arrest, along with the outstanding warrant. Those charges reflect both the alleged attempt to avoid arrest and the reported contact with the officer during the struggle.
Obstruction and resisting-arrest allegations are commonly tied to attempts to interfere with officers carrying out their duties, while the assault charge stems from police saying Murphy struck the officer. Authorities did not release additional information about the warrant itself.
Murphy is identified by police as 21 years old and a Pierre resident. No court appearance details were included in the information provided by officers.
Pierre police say the call began as a routine response but escalated quickly
The sequence of events moved quickly from a call for service to an arrest involving a warrant and a physical struggle. What started as a dispatch entry at about 10:15 p.m. ended with officers at a home, a suspect running, and a jail booking shortly afterward.
For police, the incident also showed how a single 9-1-1 call can turn complicated when the line disconnects and dispatchers lose the chance to gather information. In this case, the response depended on going directly to the scene and checking the people involved in person.
Cummings’ account places the arrest in the context of routine patrol work and warrant enforcement. The investigation appears to have focused on the original call, the background comment heard by dispatch, and Murphy’s alleged reaction once officers identified him.