Man Sleeping In Front Of Gas Pump Bit K-9 Deputy’s Ear: Polk Sheriff

DAVENPORT, FL — A man found sleeping in front of a gas pump at a Davenport gas station Sunday morning bit a K-9 deputy that responded to the scene, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a Facebook post.

Deputies responded to reports that two men were asleep in the front seat of a car parked at one of the pumps at the gas station, which is at Ronald Reagan Parkway and Lake Wilson Road, around 8:30 a.m.

A 4-year-old girl, who is related to one of the men, was in the back seat.

“The deputies wanted to first make sure everyone was alright, but as soon as they woke up the two snoozers, chaos erupted,” the sheriff’s office said.

The driver tried starting the car and when the deputy tried to stop him, “an in-car scuffle ensued,” PCSO said. The driver “was hitting, pushing and even biting a deputy.”

When the deputy released K-9 Zorak from the patrol car, the driver grabbed the dog and bit its ear.

“As you might imagine, that didn’t sit well with Zorak’s human partner who immediately put (the driver) into time-out,” the sheriff’s office said.

While this was happening, the other man in the vehicle grabbed the 4-year-old girl and ran into the busy intersection, where drivers had to avoid hitting them.

Another deputy ran after him and arrested him. The girl was unharmed and turned over to the Florida Department of Children and Families.

Both men face multiple charges, including possession of cocaine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

The driver was also charged with battery on a law enforcement officer, battery on a K-9 and resisting arrest.

His passenger was charged with possession of a stolen firearm, battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest and child abuse.