WOODLAND, Calif. (AP) – Authorities say a police service dog is in critical condition after being hit by a car while chasing a suspect in Northern California.
The Woodland Police Department says in a statement the canine, named Peydro, sustained facial fractures, a broken spine and a spinal cord injury after being struck by a car Saturday.
The department says an officer and Peydro were on patrol when the officer recognized a man wanted for a parole violation. When 35-year-old Marcos Hernandez ran from the officer, they gave chase.
Police say the driver of the car that struck Peydro remained at the scene and cooperated with the investigation. The driver is not expected to be charged.
Peydro was transported by ground ambulance to the University of California, Davis veterinary hospital, where he remains in critical condition.
The department says Hernandez later turned himself in at the Woodland Police Department without incident.