Searsport police shoot man’s dog during arrest

SEARSPORT, Maine — Searsport police shot a man’s dog while arresting the man Monday afternoon, the Searsport Police Department said in a news release Tuesday. 

Just before 1:45 p.m., Searsport Police Chief Brian Lunt and Officer Chris Therrien responded to a complaint of a vehicle operating poorly on East Main Street. The vehicle was located, but did not stop for officers for nearly three miles, police said. The vehicle eventually stopped on Porter Street.

Police said the driver identified as Rodney Damon of Stockton Springs exited the vehicle and was slow to follow commands. Damon also let his dog out of the vehicle, police said. 

Officers told Damon “to call his dog back and allowed him the opportunity to do so, however he chose instead to disregard their command and the dog continued to the officers in a manner that had them concerned it may attack them,” police said in the release. 

One round was fired and struck the dog’s shoulder, and the dog retreated back to Damon, police said. 

Damon allegedly “did nothing to get his dog back, nor did he remark about his dog being shot until after he was in handcuffs,” according to police.

Damon was brought to the Waldo County Correctional Facility and charged with failure to stop for a law enforcement officer and operating an unregistered vehicle. Police said the dog was brought to Searsport Veterinary Hospital for treatment.