PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office shared body camera video of a man throwing a dog at a deputy, trying to avoid arrest.
They say he also gave them several fake names, hoping they wouldn’t find out he had several warrants out for his arrest.
It happened on November 4 around 8 a.m. while Community Liaison Deputies were checking on a property where they’d recently cleared a homeless encampment.
“After clearing a large encampment, it’s not uncommon for deputies to return several times to ensure that no new encampments emerge,” the department shared.
Deputies spotted a tent set up at the Portland Avenue East property and told the man he was trespassing.
After 20 minutes of negotiating, deputies informed the man he was being detained until they could figure out his real name.
That’s when they say the man threw his dog and tried to run – but slipped and fell to the ground.
There was a long struggle, and a taser deployment finally led to getting him in custody.
The 55-year-old was booked into the Pierce County Jail as John Doe since he could not be identified on scene.
He was booked for aggravated assault on a police officer, harassment, resisting arrest, trespassing, and animal cruelty.
After a fingerprint scanner was used at the jail to learn his real name, it was confirmed that he had felony warrants out of Arizona and Ohio, and warrants out of Olympia.
The dog is okay and deputies say he is now being cared for at the Humane Society.
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