Rude awakening by police dog leaves Lethbridge man bitter and sore

A Lethbridge man is sore and bitter after he was dragged from both his slumber and his bed by a police dog early Friday morning in a case of mistaken identity.

"I went to bed at nine. Somebody called 911, I don't know who called 911, I was sleeping in my bedroom by myself. They kicked in the door, the dog grabbed me right around my elbow, pulled me right off the bed onto the floor," Ryan Ruzek told CBC News.

"I thought it was a nightmare, like I was kind of like dreaming it, but it wasn't a dream."

Right house, wrong man

Police said officers were responding to a domestic assault call along the 1000 block of 13 Street South, but that Ruzekwas not the suspect they were looking for.

"Upon arrival, police spoke to the victim and a witness who identified the suspect and reported that he was hiding in a bedroom and would likely be assaultive toward police," reads a news release.

"In addition to the domestic assault allegation, the suspect had breached a no contact order with the victim and was unlawfully at large."

According to police, a witness said there was no one else in the home.

"I think, obviously, with what they discovered, is that there was an individual in there that they did not know at the time when they were going to the call," Staff Sgt. George Carscadden told CBC News, adding officers were at the right house.

Warnings

Ruzeksays he didn't hear any warnings prior to being dragged from his bed, but Carscadden said there should have been plenty of advance notice.

"There was lots of commotion going on at that time prior to the 911 call, so, I mean, if that was a case where he didn't hear something like that, I mean, that's unfortunate because they do make themselves very well known," he said.

Ruzek, who works as a drywaller,feels like the police are downplaying the incident, as well as the extent of his injuries, which he says are two bites to his arm.

"I haven't been able to work for a couple of days,I don't know, it's bitten and bruised and hurts like crap. It drug me off the bed. It hurts, I can't open my arm up."

Formal complaint

Ruzeksaid police would not let him file a statement after the incident, and promised an officerwould comeby to take a statement, but Ruzeksays that hasn't happened.

Carscadden, however,said there would have been an opportunity to speak with a sergeanton the scene and if Ruzek wants to provide more information that he would alert the investigating officers.

Ruzek said he plans to file a formal complaint.

"I don't understand why they send a dog after someone when there's like eight [officers] of them there," said Ruzek. "That's what I'm bitter about. They could have just knocked on my door."

Police continue to hunt for the suspect in the domestic assault.

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