Saratoga man indicted in Sturgis

A Saratoga man who, earlier this year allegedly fled from the Rawlins Police Department, is facing a variety of charges in Meade County, South Dakota after being indicted by a Grand Jury on September 20.

Wyatt James Fluty was indicted on Wednesday in the Circuit Court of Meade County on six charges related to an alleged shoot-out with law enforcement in Sturgis, South Dakota last month. Fluty has been charged with attempted first degree murder of a law enforcement officer, attempted first degree murder, attempted grand theft, unauthorized ingestion of a controlled substance and possession of a firearm by someone with a prior drug conviction.

Both attempted first degree murder charges are related to an August 9 firefight involving Fluty, a South Dakota Highway Patrol trooper and an out-of-state off-duty cop. The charge involving the trooper carries a 50 year sentence while the charge involving the off-duty deputy carries a sentence of 25 to 50 years. Fluty pleaded not guilty.

According to original reporting from the Black Hills Pioneer, the incident began the morning of shooting when a state trooper identified Fluty in Sturgis. Along with being a suspect in a stolen vehicle case by the Rawlins Police Department on July 27, Fluty was also a suspect for an armed robbery just two days prior to the shooting, on August 7, in Pennington County.

The Pioneer reported Fluty allegedly approached a vehicle stopped on the side of a county road in Pennington County and confronted the driver and passenger. While pointing a handgun at them, he demanded their money and phones which were given to him along with a black backpack. According to reporting from the Pioneer, the South Dakota Highway Patrol began an investigation into Fluty on August 8 after he fled from a motorist assist in rural Meade County.

In that case, a trooper alleged he had stopped to assist an individual—later identified as Fluty—who appeared to have mechanical issues. The trooper observed knives and a black backpack in Fluty’s possession and asked him to place his weapons inside the vehicle. Fluty accused the trooper of harassing him and, after not complying with commands, walked away from the scene.

On the morning of August 9, Fluty was identified by another state trooper, according to original reporting from the Mitchell Republic. The trooper, upon recognizing Fluty, exited his marked patrol car with his firearm drawn. After an unsuccessful attempt by the trooper to deploy his Taser, Fluty fled and fired shots in the direction of the trooper. He allegedly ran towards the trooper’s unsecured patrol vehicle while the trooper continued to fire multiple shots at Fluty.

An out-of-state off-duty deputy had witnessed the gunfight, according to the Republic and assisted the trooper with both firing at Fluty. According to the Republic, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation had determined at least 42 shots were fired between all three parties with 32 of them fired by the trooper and seven by the off-duty deputy.

Both the Pioneer and the Republic reported that the South Dakota Attorney General, Marty Jackley, ruled the shooting was justified. The ruling cleared both the trooper and the off-duty deputy of criminal charges.

Fluty will have a status hearing on November 1. He remains at the Meade County Jail with no bond.