 |
| Pit bull owner Damian Prather |
Pekin police officers were dispatched three times to 113 Parkview Court, Apt. 3, during the early morning hours Sunday in reference to a male disturbing residents at the apartment complex by screaming and throwing things.
Officers warned Damian Prather, 23, of that address, at 4:31 a.m. that if they had to come back because neighbors were again being disturbed he would be arrested, said Pekin Police Public Information Officer Don Jolly.
When officers arrived at 5:39 a.m. Prather was out on the second-story balcony screaming across the parking lot at neighbors. Officers again tried to reason with Prather and get him to go back into his apartment and quiet down, but Prather allegedly said, “I can do whatever the f--- I want — there’s no one out here.”
Officers went up the stairs and Prather tried to shut the door in their faces, but one officer managed to hold it open with his hand and arm. The pit bull lunged from across the room and bit the officer’s arm. The dog then retreated to the other side of the room.
Officers managed to pull Prather outside from behind the door and arrested him for disorderly conduct and resisting and obstructing police. He was released from the Tazewell County Justice Center Sunday afternoon after posting 10 percent of a $1,500 bond, or $150.
The officer was treated and released at Pekin Hospital.
Jolly said the dog was taken into custody by Tazewell County Animal Control. Jolly said TCAC
records show that the dog had previously been deemed a dangerous dog because of prior incidents.
Pekin records show that the dog, “Chaos,” has bitten humans twice before. A 20-year-old male on Oct. 22, 2011, was bitten on the nose and face causing lacerations; and an 18-year-old was bitten on the face causing puncture wounds on Jan. 19, 2011.
City of Pekin Attorney Sue Bosich said that the next step after a dog has been deemed dangerous and again attacks someone is likely a hearing in which the dog could be determined to be vicious.
Bosich said there is a difference between the vicious and dangerous dog designations. A dog is vicious “when unprovoked (it) inflicts bites or attacks a human being or other animal either on public or private property,” according to city codes. A dog is considered “dangerous” when, while unleashed and unmuzzled, it “behaves in such a manner that a reasonable person would believe (it) poses a serious and unjustified imminent threat” to a person’s safety or life outside of its owner’s property.
If deemed to be vicious, the owner of the pet must pay higher registration fees with the city, higher homeowner insurance and the animal can only leave the owner’s property for veterinary or court-ordered visits to address legal issues raised by the animals. The animal would also have to be in a 6-foot high enclosure if outside, according to the city code.
Bosich said she has not yet received the reports on Sunday’s incident. It will be investigated.
A pet owner can surrender the animal to the city if the owner cannot meet the requirements, said Bosich.
Bosich said she has been in Pekin for 10 years and only one dog in that time has been deemed vicious and “less than a half dozen” deemed dangerous.
(Pekin Daily Times - April 16, 2012)
