Hiding in crawl space does not keep police from finding suspect

A tip from a neighbor led police to a suspect hiding in a crawlspace after they dispatched to a Dublin home to investigate suspicious activity. This led officers with the Dublin Police Department under the house to coax Derrick Muncher, 34, out. 

According to a Dublin Police Department incident report, officers responded to a location on White Oaks Circle around 1:25 p.m. on Saturday, May 30. The investigation began with a friend of the homeowner who was out of town that day, saying that a person was located on the back patio area of their house. The officer met with the friend who was on the phone with the homeowner.

Dispatch advised the officer that the person on the patio was believed to be Derrick Muncher, 34. Dispatch also said Muncher had several active warrants through two different counties.

Two officers conducted a perimeter check of the house and did not see anyone after the initial search. As one of the officers were leaving the subdivision in his patrol vehicle, he saw a nearby neighbor standing near the road.

The officer stopped and talked with the neighbor, asking if he had seen anyone around the house. The neighbor had seen a man on the eastside of the house enter the crawl space through the access door.

The officers returned to the house and opened the access door to the crawl space. They illuminated that area with their flashlights but were not able to see anyone. One of the officer moved to a crawl space vent and looked inside. From that position, he saw what appeared to be a man hiding behind support pillars and a water heater.

The man was wearing a white shirt and appeared to be bent over trying to conceal himself from the officers. After requesting additional officers, the man moved toward the back of the crawl space. Officers repeatedly called out to Muncher, telling him to come out from the residence.

The man did not respond and refused to come out. After a supervisor arrived at the location, he gave verbal commands for Muncher to come out. The officers eventually entered the crawl space and found Muncher, giving him verbal commands to crawl toward them.

Officer placed Muncher under arrest, charged him with obstruction and transported him to the Laurens County Jail.