Alabama police dog bites deputy when chasing after two teens
Decatur AL April 9 2020 A deputy in north Alabama is recovering after being bitten by a police dog from another department.
The dog, which belongs to the Decatur Police Department, bit the Morgan County sheriff’s deputy after the dog was sent to chase two teens running from a traffic stop, authorities said.
Decatur police spokeswoman Emme Long said the dog, which has been with the department for two years, is back to work today. “The dog was not in violation of any training,” she said. “It was doing what it was supposed to.”
The situation began when sheriff’s deputies were called to investigate a report of gunfire on Nesmith Street near Hartselle. Mike Swafford, a sheriff’s office spokesman, said a witness described a vehicle in the area.
On the way to the scene, deputies spotted a vehicle matching that description and attempted a traffic stop, Swafford said. Deputies chased the vehicle into Decatur city limits, where two people jumped from the car near Bromwich Street and ran.
When Decatur’s K9 handler released the dog to chase the suspects, the dog instead bit the sheriff’s deputy.
Mike Swafford, a sheriff’s office spokesman, said the situation involved bad timing.
“The deputy happened to pull up and get out of the car just as (the dog) was released,” he said.
The K9 handler was quickly able to get the dog to release, Swafford said.
“He let go when he was told to,” Swafford said.
The deputy was bandaged at Decatur Morgan Hospital and sent home to recover. Swafford said as of now the deputy is expected to be out of work until Friday.
Sheriff’s deputies charged two 19-year-olds, Luis Angel Ortiz and Jordan Fuqua, with attempting to elude. Ortiz was also charged with multiple counts of failing to stop at a stop sign, driving on the wrong side of the road, driving without lights and driving without possession of a license.
Swafford said the investigation into the report of shots fired is ongoing, but there weren’t any injuries reported. Because the location is in the county’s jurisdiction, it’s not illegal to fire a gun.
