The Stanislaus County, and one of their police officers, is being sued by a woman that was bitten by a K-9 police dog after a chase, and continues to suffer with nerve damage, as reported by the Modesto Bee.
The woman, D.H., 48, has three large bite marks on an upper arm where the dog allegedly bit into her.
D.H. was attempting to hide from police after a high-speed chase when a police officer's K-9 caught up to her.
Her attorney, Modesto-based Cort Wiegand, along with a police dog expert, contend that officers ignored their own search policy.
In regards to the arrest, Sheriff Adam Christianson said, "If you're the driver of a car and you run from the CHP, bail out of your vehicle, change your clothes and our dog apprehends you and you go to jail - I'd call that a good day."
Wiegand claims that D.H. ran from her pickup truck as police were about to impound it.
Leading up to the K-9 attack, per Wiegand, officers didn't shout a warning - which is department policy - about using search dogs.
When the dog failed to listen to verbal commands, Deputy T.F. used a stun gun - that he was forced to borrow from a CHP officer as he failed to carry one - to stop the dog.
Allegedly T.F. had to resort to using a stun gun on the same K-9 eight months earlier when facing a similar incident, again when the dog bit the wrong person, and, on the day after D.H.'s attack.
The dog, an 80-pould Belgian Malinois, has an alleged total of four incidents when stunning him with a taser was necessary.
Wiegand said, "What the hell is going on? This is not the Wild West anymore. Dammit, they need to change what they're doing."
CHP Officer S.M. stated that she originally pulled D.H. over for obstructing traffic with her slow-moving vehicle. She claimed that D.H. was agitated and told the officer to shoot her.
Because D.H. was driving with a suspended license, which she had been cited for already but failed to correct, S.M. took the car keys and told D.H. that her car would be towed.
S.M. claims that D.H. produced a second set of keys and then took off at speeds near 95 mph. Once D.H. reached an orchard she left the truck and took off by foot toward Turlock, where she decided to hide under a tree.
S.M. admits that no warning shouts were made before setting "Ike" out to find D.H.
S.M. said she used the stun gun on the dog as "I knew he was in fight drive and he wasn't going to let go." During her deposition she said the dog is known for "getting the job done, (and) he's intense."
After D.H. had her injuries treated at a hospital she served 90 days to felony evading charge.
A retired Placer County sheriff's K-9 team manager said that S.M. "Did not follow Stanislaus County K-9 policies and procedures."
If you are in need of an attorney to represent you, for harm that you have sustained, contact a personal injury lawyer. Proper representation is paramount for your defense.