Deputies shoot pair of dogs with stun guns

Sonoma County sheriff's deputies used stun guns on two aggressive dogs — one of which bit a deputy — in separate west county incidents early in the long holiday weekend.

One incident occurred at a Guerneville beach and involved three intoxicated people, a woman kicked in the face and a pit bull, officials said.

Deputies were called to the beach Friday night with a report of two people screaming at each other. Deputies arrived to find a woman lying on the beach with a bloody face, sheriff's Sgt. Dave Pedersen said.

She'd been kicked repeatedly by a man who was angry because she'd kicked the pit bull, Pedersen said.

The dog, known to deputies working in the area for its aggressive behavior, was being held on a leash by its owner, a 58-year-old Guerneville woman, Pedersen said.

As deputies were sorting out what happened the dog got away from the woman and charged a deputy.

The deputy was trying to pull out his gun when the dog lunged and began to bite his hand, the sergeant said.

The other deputy fired his stun gun, hitting the dog. The electric shock caused the dog to stop biting and it dropped to the ground, leaving the deputy with minor scratches rather than worse wounds, Pedersen said.

The dog was then leashed, put inside a patrol car and taken to the county animal shelter.

Deputies arrested William Brusseau, 58, a local transient, suspecting he'd kicked the woman. He was taken to the Sonoma County Jail on a felony assault with a deadly weapon charge.

The dog's owner and the woman suspected of kicking the dog were arrested on suspicion of public intoxication.

Hours earlier, the same deputies responded to a call in Cazadero involving feuding brothers.

While there, the family black Labrador snapped and growled at the deputies who repeatedly told owners to control their dog, Pedersen said. The dog wasn't contained and when it got within several feet the deputies fired their Tasers at it, he said.

One barb fell out as the dog rolled and a second barb briefly knocked it off its feet.

One of the brothers, angry about the dog, then began growling and charged the deputies, Pedersen said. He also was hit with an electric barb.

The brothers were arrested, one on suspicion of misdemeanor delaying an officer and the other suspected of being drunk in violation of his probation.

The dog was left in the care of a family member who told deputies she was grateful they hadn't shot the dog, Pedersen said.
(Press Democrat - May 28, 2014)