A Utah man is suing the local police force after a police dog attacked him during an arrest, despite him having already surrendered. Martin Lee Hoogveldt, 33, had put his hands up after armed police entered his home in March 2013, but the dog, a German shepherd named Pyro, still jumped at him and clamped its jaws around his face.
The incident occurred in West Jordan, a suburb of Salt Lake City, after neighbours complained that Hoogveldt had set fire to a Christmas tree in his backyard. Three police officers entered his home, two with weapons drawn and the third, Ian Adams, handling Pyro. Body camera footage shows officers demanding Hoogveldt surrender while he sat on a sofa.
Hoogveldt initially raised one hand, then both, but did not stand up. He later told the Salt Lake Tribune that he remained seated because he would have needed to lower his hands to push himself up. Seconds later, Pyro attacked, biting his face and dragging him off the couch. Hoogveldt screamed in pain as Officer Adams struggled to make the dog release its grip.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, alleges illegal entry and excessive force. It states that the dog pulled Hoogveldt off the couch by his face and that Adams had difficulty getting the dog to let go. After the attack, officers documented Hoogveldt's injuries on their mobile phones. West Jordan police said the footage shows only one aspect of the incident and that Hoogveldt resisted arrest.
