Woman In Court To Answer To Charges Of Attacking Police Dog
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A Queens woman was arraigned Wednesday on charges that she kicked and injured a police dog, as an officer tried to arrest her following a fight on a subway platform.
An attorney for Matos-Davis claimed that "Bear," a member of the Transit Bureau K-9 Unit, attacked her when she was already handcuffed and on the ground.
Matos-Davis' father appeared on camera in court, claiming that his daughter acted in self-defense.
"I would believe it would have to have been self-defense," said Wayne Matos. "She's an animal lover. She has animals at home."
But police had a different story.
Woman Accused Of Attacking Police Dog
It all started around 11:15 a.m. Tuesday, when four women got into a fight on the No. 4 line subway platform at 59th Street and Lexington Avenue, police said. A 19-year-old woman was being choked by another woman of the same age.
Officer Rafael Diaz came to break up the fight, but the other two women – Matos-Davis and another woman, 31 – pushed Diaz as he tried to stop the choking.
Diaz called for backup, and Officer Vincent Tieniber and Bear came to the scene. He was handcuffing Matos-Davis when she attacked Bear, police said.
"As we were trying to place her under arrest, she kicked Bear to the face twice," Tieniber told CBS 2's Cindy Hsu.
Matos-Davis kicked the German shepherd twice in the mouth, police said.
"He had a swollen snout, and he also lacerated his tongue and lower jaw area with a small puncture," Tieniber said.
But even though he was injured, Bear fought back.
"Bear kept the woman's foot in his mouth, and held on until I could handcuff her," Tieniber said in a news release Tuesday.
But Bear's damaged teeth did not penetrate the woman's shoes.
As the case makes its way through court, Bear is now on antibiotics and pain medication, and will need to get his teeth capped. Tieniber suffered a sprained wrist while arresting Matos-Davis, police said.
Tieniber and Bear have been fighting crime together for five years. Bear has his own badge, and even his own "baseball card" that he gives to kids so they're not afraid.
Bear more likely has two to three more years on the job, and then he will head home with Officer Tieniber permanently to spend his retirement with the family.
Two of the other women involved in the fight on the subway platform were also charged.
One of them – Alexandria James, 19, of the Bronx – was charged with strangulation and criminal possession of a controlled substance. Tabricia Moore, 31, also of the Bronx, was charged with obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, police said.
The woman James allegedly attacked suffered bruises, scratches and neck pain, but refused medical attention, police said.
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