Dog Owner, 80, Reunited With Stolen Pooch After Violent Carjacking
RIVERSIDE (CBSLA.com) — An 80-year-old Air Force veteran was reunited with his beloved dog Wednesday after she was stolen during a violent carjacking in San Bernardino.
Donald Mittica and his daughter Mary Ann have been through a lot in the past 48 hours reports KCAL9's Crystal Cruz.
"His ID was still in the car when we recovered the car," said Mary Ann.
Minutes before the reunion, Mittica began to tear up.
"I can't even put it all together," Mittica said. "It's too much."
On Monday, Mittica was seen on camera eating alone at a taco shop in San Bernardino before he was carjacked in the parking lot.
"I guess he had this knife, we found the knife, and said I'm gonna kill you," Mittica said.
Inside the car, his 3-pound dog Lola. She was a gift given to him by his wife of 50 years just before she died.
"I finally realized that I was by myself, and I didn't like that and I still don't like it," he said. "She's the only thing that I have."
Donald walked back into the taco shop and, frantic about Lola, asked employees to call 911.
"If I asked for the dog he might have just taken the dog and threw it at me or something like that. So, I had to take my chances and fortunately it worked out pretty doggone good," Mittica said.
A good Samaritan found Lola on a busy street near UC Riverside, about 10 miles from San Bernardino. The good Samaritan dropped her off at a shelter.
Lola's tail was wagging wildly when she was reunited with her human.
"That's pretty amazing," said Mary Ann. "I think she knows. She loves everyone. She's just a good little rat dog."
The alleged carjackers were found by police in Santa Ana along with Mittica's car. The vehicle was something that could be replaced, unlike his best friend, Lola.
"I'm almost speechless because they found her so fast. After all that's happened. I just can't believe what I'm going through right now," Mittica said.