By Sarah Tully
Orange County Register
CYPRESS, Calif. — A woman says she was bitten by a police dog while sleeping.
Sgt. Tom Bruce of the Cypress Police Department called the incident an accident. The Cypress police dog, Zorro, bit the woman when he was directed to search a garage that was believed to be empty, Bruce said.
A legal claim was filed on behalf of the woman. The city is investigating it.
The claim states that Cypress police officers were searching for a suspect when the German shepherd bit Alicia Quinonez, 22, while she was sleeping about 2 a.m. on Aug. 16. Quinonez went to the hospital with severe bites to her right leg, according to her claim. Bruce said the injuries were minor.
Bruce said officers were searching for an armed-robbery suspect in Buena Park when they asked a homeowner if they could search his house and property to see if the suspect was there. The homeowner told officers that the garage was empty, forgetting that Quinonez had permission to sleep there, Bruce said.
Quinonez’s attorney, April Blackman, said she is also continuing to investigate the incident, but she hopes to settle the case.
“I would think that their dog shouldn’t be attacking innocent people who are sleeping,” Blackman said. “They should have well-trained dogs that shouldn’t attack sleeping people.”
The claim, filed Sept. 11, does not list the amount that Quinonez is seeking. Legal claims are often precursors to lawsuits.
The robbery suspect was not found that night, Bruce said.
Copyright 2008 Orange County Register