GOODYEAR, AZ — A man is recovering after getting bit several times by an Avondale Police Department K-9.
According to police, the incident took place while a man and his wife were cleaning their travel trailer in front of their Goodyear home.
The man, identified as Rogelio Jacquez, told police the K-9 took two to three steps towards him and then lunged toward the man's face.
“When I took a step back, the dog just lunged at me,” said Jacquez.
He told ABC15 that he and the dog wrestled until his wife got a broom and tried to pry the dog’s mouth off of him.
“He grabbed this finger and when he grabbed this finger, I unleashed a big scream,” said Jacquez.
Those screams were caught on a nearby neighbor’s camera.
“I have lacerations," said Jacquez. “I have a puncture wound.”
Two days later, Jacquez’s hands and arms are still badly injured. As a welder, he said he needs his hands to make a living.
“It turns out that the gate just didn’t latch properly and typically they do have a lock on it,” said Communications Officer with Maricopa County Animal Care and Control Kim Powell. “They weren’t aware that obviously it wasn’t latched.”
Powell said that’s how K-9 Rico was able to escape from his handler's nearby home.
Because they believe this was an accident, at this time, MCACC doesn’t believe they’ll be pursuing charges.
“Officer Rico did not have any other bites incidents on his record, and he is a working dog,” said Powell. “So all of those things will play into what happens next.”
Since the five-year K-9 veteran was up to date on his vaccines, ABC15 was told he’s now in home quarantine.
“I wish it never happened to me, but what can you do? You got to heal and get better little by little,” said Jacquez.
Avondale police tell us Rico is a dual-purpose K9, trained in both patrol and detection, and has had an accidental bite on one of their officers.
Rico is assigned tasks that involve assisting officers in apprehending offenders, locating articles, clearing buildings or vehicles, area searches or tracks, and K-9 handler protection.
He’s had three apprehensions in his career, and following the bite in Goodyear, he is now under quarantine at an off-duty capacity, with his handler.
ABC15 has learned from Avondale PD that the K-9 will be retiring, but there is no official date set for the retirement.
Jacquez created an online fundraiser to help his family of five while he heals.
