VIRGINIA -- Maggie Sheridan was a partner and friend to many deputies in Louisa County. Now the entire sheriff's department is mourning the loss of the six-year veteran of the county's K-9 unit.
"We thought of her as a deputy and part of our extended family," said Major Donald Lowe.
Maggie passed away Monday from injuries sustained in the line of duty over the weekend. She was helping her handler, Lieutenant Patrick Sheridan, in the search for a suicidal subject at a residence on Courthouse Road when she was attacked and bitten by a pit bull.
Authorities say Lt. Sheridan and two other deputies, one of whom was another K-9 handler, were tracking the subject near the house when the pit bull suddenly appeared and attacked. The two deputies were able to wrestle the dog away from Maggie, but the beloved bloodhound's condition worsened after the bites became infected.
Lt. Sheridan had worked with Maggie since she was just a puppy. He was too distraught to talk on camera with CBS19, but Major Lowe said they were a team and she will be hard to replace.
"Maggie was a gem. It takes a lot of training and the right handler, but the results and the benefits of that are just priceless," he said.
Badge No. 170A, as Maggie was known in the department, was a key player in solving many crimes. During her six years on the force she worked a total of 348 cases, helping to find missing people and track down criminals.
"She solved breaking and entering cases for us and felony cases about finding evidence and tracking where a suspect might have gone after they broke into a house or committed a crime," Major Lowe explained.
A memorial service is being planned for K-9 Maggie to honor her service in Louisa County and across Central Virginia. You can learn more about Maggie and Lt. Sheridan and offer your condolences on the Louisa County Sheriff's Department Facebook page.
The pit bull is being held at an animal shelter while investigators try to determine its owner. The sheriff's department intends on pressing charges against the owner and having the pit bull declared a vicious animal and put down.
(Newsplex - Dec 12, 2011)
