Weird News of the Day: dog driving truck hits woman
While his handler was on a domestic disturbance call, Ranger the police dog thought he'd go for a little joyride. The German Shepherd was hanging out in the cab of a pickup truck that was left running, reportedly so the dog could enjoy climate control in the balmy weather. Things got out of control when Ranger allegedly shifted the car into gear, hitting the unfortunate Mary Stone as she walked to her mailbox. Police yelled to her in an attempt to warn her, but she was not able to evade the oncoming truck.
Mrs. Stone is to remain hospitalized for a fractured pelvis and tailbone, while police in Ogden, Utah have some s'plainin' to do.
[Source: CBS 11]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Lee Gibson 7:26PM (7/14/2006)
How'd the dog manage to get the parking brake disengaged, and turn the wheel so the tires don't point at the curb?
Oh, the cop didn't engage the parking brake, and didn't point the tires at the curb? Hmm. Amazing. It's almost like he was...what's the word? Negligent. Yeah, that's it.
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Kaveh 7:39PM (7/14/2006)
Figures, I lived near ogden, they are some bad drivers there
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chairman 8:03PM (7/14/2006)
Ranger the dog was framed. Have the police checked the whereabouts of Toonces the Driving Cat?
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dakota 8:09PM (7/14/2006)
"How'd the dog manage to get the parking brake disengaged, and turn the wheel so the tires don't point at the curb?
Oh, the cop didn't engage the parking brake, and didn't point the tires at the curb? Hmm. Amazing. It's almost like he was...what's the word? Negligent. Yeah, that's it"
Humm..if an officer is responding to a call, you honestly think that he/she is going to make sure the parking brake is set and then turn the wheels so they are pointed towards the curb? Hey while their at it how about they chock the wheels, take out the keys and then lock the doors? Think about that next time you need a cop at your door, and they are out there messing around making sure that the squad doesn't roll away.
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John 8:20PM (7/14/2006)
Best picture on autoblog in a very long time.
Isn't it a law in most states that if a driver is involved in a traffic incident that has either property damage or an injury, that the driver get a breathalyzer test? I bet his breath smells like Kibbles.
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O.I. 8:58PM (7/14/2006)
Oh please, don't give us any of that "If you need a cop" nonsense. You know it's BS just like everyone else. Cops get plenty of perks because of their job, and most of them see about as much action as an average rent-a-cop. Let's not pretend they are all out there chasing down Columbian drug lords and super villians on a daily basis, they aren't.
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Lee Gibson 12:27AM (7/15/2006)
"Humm..if an officer is responding to a call, you honestly think that he/she is going to make sure the parking brake is set and then turn the wheels so they are pointed towards the curb"
If that's what it takes so that their K-9 Kompanion doesn't run lil old ladies over, yes, that's exactly what I expect. How long does it take to step on a parking brake? They take the time to turn the wheels when they park behind the person they're pulled over, right?
"Think about that next time you need a cop at your door,"
Uh huh...yeah.
"and they are out there messing around making sure that the squad doesn't roll away."
Because it usually takes, like three weeks to secure their vehicle. Right.
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Mathusalum 12:33AM (7/15/2006)
Ha!,
I'd bet you that the cop didn't get a citation, but if it was your average Joe Citizen and HIS dog managed to get the car moving and then hit someone......he'd be in jail or facing quite a few citations.
If I was the woman, I'd sue the pants off the city! No matter how you look at it, its neglegence. Taxpayers in California has to now pay for bullet proof vests for police dogs. Hey, yeah its a police dog, but just the same, a dog! If I lived in a high crime area, bet the statewouldn't pay for MY dog to have a vest!
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iQuack 3:31AM (7/15/2006)
Truth is that the woman annoyed the dog and he knew exactly what he was doing:
http://xs103.xs.to/xs103/06286/Doggie.jpg
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GhostDoggy 7:29AM (7/15/2006)
Who said dogs don't have a cynical sense of humor. I'm surprised the dog didn't throw the pickup into reverse and have seconds.
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Richard Warren 9:33AM (7/15/2006)
Go get um Jerry Lee!
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J. Ray 10:20AM (7/15/2006)
I left my dog in a running car for comfort last week. I got 30 ft away and realized that was a STUPID idea. I went back and shut it off and rolled down the windows enough for airflow!
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DKB_SATX 11:37AM (7/15/2006)
umm... so how long has it been that vehicles with automatics have required you to push the brake pedal before shifting out of Park? It seems to me that it's been quite a while... which suggests that perhaps this truck wasn't QUITE in Park when the officer hopped out. I don't think Ranger can reach the brake pedal while he's pulling down the gear selector.
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VW-Guy 11:41AM (7/15/2006)
It's a related topic and maybe someone will learn from me on this...
I have had my dog in my convertible quite a few times. I usually leave it running with him in it if I have to run back into the house and grab something. Once I came out and his leash was snugly wrapped around the stick shift lever. One pull in the wrong direction and my car would either have lurched thru the garage door or back up a few feet before (if?) it stalled out.
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DKB_SATX 12:03PM (7/15/2006)
VW-Guy: Give it a try sometime... try putting a manual transmission in gear with the car sitting still, the engine running and without pushing the clutch. While it seems like a definite safety issue that your dog had the leash wrapped around the shifter, it's more one of the dog's safety if he couldn't move. He's just wear out your synchronizers and get some nice metal shavings in the transmission case if he were pulling the stick toward a gear, I don't think he'd make the car move.
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VW-Guy 12:28PM (7/15/2006)
Hey DKB, I'm not too sure about that. A buddy was teaching his girlfriend how to drive a stick and she forced it into 1st without the clutch. According to him - car moved a couple of feet before stalling and it chipped a tooth in the tranny.
With the parking brake set on mine, I doubt that the vehicle would have moved much/if any but the potential damage to the trans is the worry.
Expensive lesson - don't teach a bimbo on your own personal vehicle. And play it safe - don't leave your doggy in the front seat with the engine running.
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the chad 4:24PM (7/15/2006)
Hey, it gets better:
From the article, "The truck then went through the Stones' yard and struck a vehicle in the driveway."
Wow....first you get ran over by a dog driving a truck...then he goes thru your lawn and hits your car.
Talk about a bad day!
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mavkato 11:23AM (7/16/2006)
13. umm... so how long has it been that vehicles with automatics have required you to push the brake pedal before shifting out of Park? It seems to me that it's been quite a while... which suggests that perhaps this truck wasn't QUITE in Park when the officer hopped out. I don't think Ranger can reach the brake pedal while he's pulling down the gear selector.
Posted at 11:37AM on Jul 15th 2006 by DKB_SATX 0 stars
there was an incident in minneapolis where a police van got knocked out of park and ran over some pedestrians. they found that the shift interlock could be released by the flashing brake lights just the same as it could by stepping on the brake pedal.
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twodogsbarking 3:05PM (8/29/2006)
My dog Dallas did the same thing when my idiot boyfriend left her in the car on a hill with the engine running. He claims to have left it in park, but I think differently. Dallas could read lips (she was a smart Belgian malinois), but alas, she could not drive. The truck rammed a travel trailer, to the tune of $13,000. Try explaining that to a sheriff with no sense of humor. In my town a cop sat down to drink coffee (and eat a donut no doubt) and accidentally triggered the automatic door opener in his pocket. His German shepherd police dog delightedly exited the vehicle and chewed the hind leg off a terrier.
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