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March 24--A Wilkes-Barre police officer is suing a Swoyersville cop after Swoyersville's police dog mauled him during a foot pursuit of a suspect in June 2009, according to a lawsuit filed in Luzerne County Court.
The lawsuit says the Swoyerville K-9 "viciously attacked" Wilkes-Barre police Officer Christopher Maciejczyk on North Washington Street in Wilkes-Barre while multiple police agencies were chasing a suspect in a vehicle pursuit through several towns.
Maciejczyk's suit claims he stopped to allow Swoyersville police Cpl. Ethan Wenzel and his police dog to pass by, but the dog latched onto Maciejczyk's right arm without provocation. The dog, named Gas, pulled Maciejczyk "side to side" and took him to the ground, inflicting severe bites, the suit said.
"The police dog would not let up and did not stop attacking Officer Maciejczyk until the dog was removed and restrained by its handler," the suit, filed by attorney Neil O'Donnell, said.
Maciejczyk and his wife, Carol, are suing Swoyersville borough, the Swoyersville police department and Wenzel on six counts and are seeking in excess of $50,000.
According to the suit:
The dog bite occurred after the suspect abandoned his vehicle between the 500 and 600 blocks of North Washington Street and fled on foot. Police units from as far as West Pittston were in the chase. Maciejczyk stopped his vehicle behind a state police cruiser and joined the foot pursuit. While pursuing the suspect, Maciejczyk observed Wenzel running down the sidewalk with his dog. Maciejczyk said he stopped to allow them to pass and "did nothing to provoke the animal," but was severely bitten.
Maciejczyk sustained "serious and permanent" injuries from the attack, and underwent extensive occupational and physical therapy, the suit says.
Swoyersville's solicitor Joseph Yeager did not return a request for comment placed at his law office.
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