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Suit claims police dog attacked spectator at K-9 competition
Daily Herald Staff ^ | 02/06/2010 | Daily Herald Staff

Posted on 02/06/2010 12:27:12 AM PST by The Magical Mischief Tour

A suburban woman wasn't expecting to become part of the event last year when she attended a police dog competition in Algonquin.

But that's exactly what happened when, according to a lawsuit filed this week in McHenry County Circuit Court, a Waukegan police dog commanded to attack a man in a padded suit instead veered into the crowd and bit her.

Karyn Pimental is suing the city of Waukegan and police officer Mallory Baker, saying their negligence is to blame for the dog attack that left her with severe bite wounds to the leg.

The suit seeks at least $100,000 in damages.

"We're not trying to indict anybody, but it happened and certainly she should be made whole," Pimental attorney Christopher Pierce said Friday. "It's unfortunate that it happened. She was just a passive spectator."

Waukegan police officials referred questions about the lawsuit to city attorney Newton Finn, who was not available for comment.

According to the lawsuit, the incident happened Aug. 14 while Pimental attended the K-9 Olympics, a police dog competition that drew entrants from across the northern suburbs. Reports indicate another Waukegan police dog won the event.

The suit states that as part of the event Baker intentionally agitated Pablo, a German Shepherd he was handling, then let him off his leash. Pierce said the dog was supposed to attack a man in protective gear.

"Instead of attacking the man, the dog went into the crowd and attacked my client," he said.

The attack left puncture wounds on both sides of one of Pimental's thighs, Pierce said. Her injury has since been magnified by post-treatment complications, he added.

The case is scheduled to make its first court appearance June 8 before Judge Michael Caldwell.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Government; US: Illinois
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1 posted on 02/06/2010 12:27:12 AM PST by The Magical Mischief Tour
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To: The Magical Mischief Tour

Oh, poor woman — animal bites can be unpredictable.


2 posted on 02/06/2010 12:30:41 AM PST by SatinDoll (NO Foreign Nationals as our President!!)
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To: The Magical Mischief Tour

It’s not the dog’s fault she looks like a big fat guy in heavy padding.


3 posted on 02/06/2010 12:31:06 AM PST by LibWhacker (America awake!)
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To: The Magical Mischief Tour
"Baker intentionally agitated Pablo"

Did anyone ever think that maybe Pablo couldn't speak the english?

4 posted on 02/06/2010 12:32:23 AM PST by plinyelder ("I've noticed that everybody that is for abortion has already been born." -- Ronald Reagan)
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To: plinyelder
Did anyone ever think that maybe Pablo couldn't speak the english?

Well, considering that nearly all Police K-9's learn to respond to their commands spoken by the handlers in German...

5 posted on 02/06/2010 12:40:03 AM PST by The Magical Mischief Tour
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To: plinyelder

Packen, Pablo! Sprechen sie deutsch for schutzhund?


6 posted on 02/06/2010 12:53:06 AM PST by GnuHere
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To: LibWhacker

Exactly what I was thinking except I wasn’t actually going to post it. hehe


7 posted on 02/06/2010 1:07:47 AM PST by ArcadeQuarters (Stuck with a RINO? Donate to a different district.)
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To: The Magical Mischief Tour
"Pierce said the dog was supposed to attack a man in protective gear."

Attack dogs are effective and possibly deadly weapons against people--mostly criminals--who can't afford lawyers. When used to guard an area, they are booby traps no less than mechanical devices: unpredictable and possibly deadly. To set booby traps is a felony in at least some states.

This is not only about police. The point is that once such practices get started, many others eventually become "untouchables." That's bad for everyone. Trust me on this. You don't want to create a hostile society full of various groups and kinds of untouchables then try to pay a visit to my place as a stranger under color of whatever.

It's better for all of us to keep a square, moral society.


8 posted on 02/06/2010 1:34:29 AM PST by familyop (cbt. engr. (cbt), NG, '89-' 96, Duncan Hunter or no-vote.)
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To: The Magical Mischief Tour
Mchenry County used to be a nice place to live and raise a famliy. Then a few years ago democrats started moving in from the Chicago suburbs, bringing things with them that they moved away from.

Now we have attack dog competitions like this, only a few miles from the site of a viscious pit-bull attack on small children a few years ago.

Hopefully this attack dog rodeo will go back to Waukegan and take the bad element with it.

9 posted on 02/06/2010 1:42:41 AM PST by Bernard (One if by Land, Two if by Sea, Three if by Government)
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To: The Magical Mischief Tour

“...but it happened and certainly she should be made whole,...”
Her medical bills were 100K? She needs to find cheaper doctors.


10 posted on 02/06/2010 2:26:56 AM PST by Scotsman will be Free (11C - Indirect fire, infantry - High angle hell - We will bring you, FIRE)
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To: The Magical Mischief Tour

Here’s some more information. I was going to exhibit some information about a common house plant that can be used to silence animals but will pass on that and present the following.

Dog Silencer Pro™
http://www.ultimatebarkcontrol.com/ds_pro.htm

The point is that if any of us escalate fear and violence illegally in our locales, things can get more complicated all around us. Imagine guard dogs no longer barking and a criminal approaching with a crossbow and/or other quiet weapon. There are many legal and honorable ways to defend or properly apprehend and no long-term benefit to becoming a bad boy (or girl). Barking dogs will deter creeps as well as a dangerous animal will.

Police dogs are best used for finding explosives, evidence, etc.

For citizens more interested in defending their own properties, there’s no sense in keeping liability weapons that are as dangerous to yourselves as to neighbors or visitors who need help (victims of transportation breakdowns, crimes, accidents, etc.). Imagine someone coming to your door late at night, after their transportation breaks down. The best way to deal with an assault (home invasion) is to be able to see visitors coming (barking, non-lethal dog, cameras, etc.) and to deal with any threats yourself.

You can discern between friendlies and foes better than a dangerous animal, and there are many ways to defend yourself. It is even better to avoid criminal invasions altogether by having your place built to deter criminals and to direct visitors through particular routes. There are even more ways to do that. A home can look very inviting to good visitors while looking like (and being) a nightmare to would-be burglars and home invaders.


11 posted on 02/06/2010 2:31:36 AM PST by familyop (cbt. engr. (cbt), NG, '89-' 96, Duncan Hunter or no-vote.)
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To: The Magical Mischief Tour

I think the dog knew something about her that has not been made public, and she is not telling.


12 posted on 02/06/2010 3:13:01 AM PST by chainsaw ("When you subsidize poverty and failure, you get more of both." - James Dale Davidson)
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To: The Magical Mischief Tour

I think the dog knew something about her that has not been made public, and she is not telling.


13 posted on 02/06/2010 3:16:46 AM PST by chainsaw ("When you subsidize poverty and failure, you get more of both." - James Dale Davidson)
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To: familyop

As a reliable method of dealing with out of control police dogs, I suggest an Irish Wolfhound.

A wolfhound was at a county fair, laying on the grass with the child of the family when some German Shepherd K-9 dogs were walked past by their officer handlers.

One of the K-9 dogs snarled at the wolfie. Wolfie then assumed their existence was a threat to the child and went from warm, furry, ambulatory rug to “Kill the Bad Wolves” mode. Before anyone could react, three dogs were down and dying, and the 4th had to be euthanized.

Fortunately, the officers were wise enough not to try to shoot.

Then, the wolfie went back over to the child.

Problem solved.

Turns out there was a reason such dogs were so highly valued in antiquity.


14 posted on 02/06/2010 5:14:48 AM PST by GladesGuru (In a society predicated upon freedom, it is essential to examine principles,)
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To: GladesGuru

Had a big black lab do about the same to a pit bull. The pit was seen as a threat to the little ones in the kiddie pool and there goes Boozer out of the pool all over that pit. It was quick , the pit had a chunk out of his back as he retreated to the brush. Boozer climbed back in the kiddie pool.


15 posted on 02/06/2010 5:42:06 AM PST by rsobin
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To: The Magical Mischief Tour

Hispanic named police dog doing what American named police dogs refuse to do.


16 posted on 02/06/2010 5:45:53 AM PST by Lockbar (March toward the sound of the guns.)
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To: The Magical Mischief Tour
There's something wrong with this story. Hell, there's a LOT wrong with it.
  1. If a Police Dog 'had' bitten a civilian at this show, or anywhere near Chicago, it would have been on every Chicago TV station; network, local and cable -- but it wasn't.
  2. If a Police Dog 'had' bitten a civilian at this show it also would have been in both Chicago newspapers and this Daily Herald -- but it wasn't.
  3. If a Police Dog bites a 'civilian' that dog gets 'put down' -- but it wasn't.
  4. If a Police Dog just fails to obey its handlers command it no longer CAN BE a Police Dog. But this dog still is.
A Police Dog biting a civilian is HUGH News, like a cop shooting a bystander. Especially in August when this allegedly happened, but there was zero on this 'attack'. And I love this part:
The attack left puncture wounds on both sides of one of Pimental's thighs, Pierce said. Her injury has since been magnified by post-treatment complications, he added.
Yeah, 'complications'. Like her house payment is late, she wants a trip to Disney World and a Black Caddy Escalade with 24" rims - and spinners.
17 posted on 02/06/2010 6:19:23 AM PST by Condor51 (The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits [A. Einstein])
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To: Condor51

So, since its involving a cop and a K-9 who we all know are all completely above reproach its nothing?

So, since no other “newspaper” or TV station picked it up it must not be true?

So, since her injuries involve unspecified “post-treatment complications” its all somehow her fault?

So clearly its all a lie?

A police dog biting a civilian is huge news?

Okay... did you know that one was bitten just recently here in Tennessee? The bite was so bad the person had to undergo multiple surgeries and required an extensive hospital stay?

Another one involving a Christian County Sheriff’s Department K-9 dog escaped from his handler and bit a 70 year old woman. She too required hospitalization.

Two lawsuits here as well, one was just settled with Cookeville PD involving an unprovoked K-9 attack on an innocent bystander, city forked out over $20,000 on that one. Another one is pending where a child was attacked on a playground by a Police K-9 when the handler let the dog out of the car so it could pee. Dog ran over, jumped a fence and attacked a little girl who was on a swing. It did considerable damage to her neck, she had to be Lift Flighted to Vanderbilt for emergency surgery.

Those all were reported locally here in the media. No mention if these dogs have been put down, I doubt it... bet you a steak dinner they haven’t and they never will. They might retire them but will never put them down.

The only thing wrong here is for some unexplainable reason, certain people will go to comical lengths to find no wrong doing in anything law enforcement in this country does. And will continue to go to great lengths to blame it all on anything and everything but the obvious.

Occams Razor... as painful as that might be to the cop apologists, is nearly always the correct assumption.


18 posted on 02/06/2010 7:03:55 AM PST by The Magical Mischief Tour
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To: Condor51

Here’s a hilarious story where evidentially a K-9 decided to chomp down on another cop, cop shoots at K-9 then cop and K-9 handler get into fist fight so K-9 begins biting all the other cops...

Regular 3 Stooges skit right here...

http://www.southbendtribune.com/article/20100201/News01/100209923/-1/googleNews


19 posted on 02/06/2010 7:11:27 AM PST by The Magical Mischief Tour
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To: Condor51

Woman Attacked By K-9 May Sue Jacksonville Fla SO

http://www.news4jax.com/news/22316374/detail.html


20 posted on 02/06/2010 7:14:44 AM PST by The Magical Mischief Tour
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