Deputy taken off K-9 unit after dog bites man’s head during arrest, SC cops say
A police dog attacked a man in South Carolina, and now its handler has been taken off the K-9 unit, cops say.
The man was hiding inside a dishwasher when the dog found him and bit his side on April 28, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office said in a video.
When the K-9 officer tried to pull the dog away, he “briefly lost his footing” and let the leash slip, Capt. Tim Brown said.
The dog attacked the man’s head while the deputy ordered the animal to release its grip, bodycam video shows.
Eventually the K-9 let go, and the man was taken to a hospital, officials say.
Investigators reviewed the incident and determined the handler “violated the excessive use of force,” WYFF reported Monday.
The officer was put on a 40-hour suspension and kicked off the K-9 team, according to the station.
As for the man who was attacked, deputies identified him as Kevin Leroy Scott White, 47.
His attorney in June said he considered suing the Sheriff’s Office for the arrest, The Greenville News reports. But “a pre-litigation settlement was reached, and White was awarded $230,000,” according to the newspaper.
He was wanted on a warrant from Florida and faced charges that included resisting arrest, Greenville County deputies said.
Now, most of those charges have been dismissed, WHNS reported Monday.
White pleaded guilty to meth possession and “failure to stop for a blue light” from a 2017 case, The Greenville News reports.
This story was originally published September 16, 2019 at 3:07 PM with the headline "Deputy taken off K-9 unit after dog bites man’s head during arrest, SC cops say."
