Facts:
My client and his friend were out drinking. They decided to stop at a fast food restaurant on the way home to eat. While they were there, they started causing a disturbance and were asked to leave. The police were also called. As they left the restaurant, they saw the police cars coming and ran off. Clearwater Police did not chase them initially.
My client began to run through people’s backyards and the homeowner’s called the police again. This time, Clearwater PD brought a K9 unit to chase him. Eventually, the dog found my client hiding in a bush and attacked him. My client tried to punch the dog to stop the bite and eventually, the officer called off the attack. My client was arrested for obstruction, an offense against a police canine, and loitering and prowling. He was taken to the Pinellas County Jail.
The Case:
I knew that they would take this case seriously, so I had my client immediately get a negative drug test. I also had him get an alcohol evaluation and start treatment. I then submitted all of this with an explanation to the prosecutor that it was just a stupid thing to do and that the police response made it much more serious.
The Result:
The prosecutor agreed with my request. My client was given a $500 fine and did not have to go back to jail or do probation. It was a very good result for a case that could have been much worse.