BEAUMONT — A Beaumont man is behind bars after allegedly stealing a patrol unit with the officer’s K9.

After the vehicle was stopped, the man reportedly refused to get out of the drivers seat and wrested with officers.

The incident began around 2:45 a.m. Saturday when a Beaumont Police K9 officer stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation at McDonald’s, located at Laurel and Interstate-10. He walked up to the vehicle to speak with the driver but left his K9 in the patrol unit, according to a press release from Beaumont Police Department.

Allen Keith Williams, 35, of Beaumont, who was not involved in the traffic stop, reportedly got into the driver’s seat of the K9 patrol unit while the officer was conducting the traffic stop, and sped away.

Dispatch was quickly notified and began to actively track the vehicle. Officers located the stolen patrol unit at and attempted to stop Williams.

He evaded police throughout the city of Beaumont and wrecked in the woods at  College Street and Dowlen Road.

The suspect refused to exit the vehicle but was removed after a lengthy struggle and arrested.

Williams was then transported to the hospital for medical clearance. K-9 Duke was not injured during this incident but will be cleared by the veterinarian.

Once Williams was medically cleared, he was taken to Auto Theft Task Force to speak with a detective and then taken to the Jefferson County Jail.

Williams was charged with felony theft, evading detention/arrest with a motor vehicle, attempting to take an officer’s weapon, and resisting arrest/search/transport.