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Police: Man Chokes Police Dog After Chase

Posted on: Tuesday, 2 November 2004, 18:00 CST

MUNCIE, Ind. - Police used a stun gun to subdue a man who started choking a police dog that found him after a chase on foot, authorities said.

Danny Cook, 38, of Muncie was being held Monday in Delaware County Jail on $17,500 bond on preliminary charges of cruelty to a law enforcement animal, resisting law enforcement and being a habitual traffic offender.

Authorities said Cook ran from police after an officer tried to stop him for running a stop sign about 3 a.m. Sunday. A police dog named Ronny found Cook about 45 minutes later near a tree beside a house, police said.

Cook grabbed the dog's lower jaw after it bit him to try to hold him in place, police said.

"I told the guy to get on the ground, but he backed away, so I sent my dog after him again," said Ronny's handler, Patrolman Mike Shaffer. "This time the guy grabbed my dog's collar and started choking him. I could hear him (the dog) gasping for breath."

By then, other officers had arrived and subdued Cook by shocking him with an electric stun gun, police said.

If convicted, Cook could face from six months to eight years in prison and fines totaling up to $25,000.

Source: Associated Press/AP Online

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