Tragic death on Texas highway

[MaxJack'sMom]

I watch Inside Edition on tv and today they had the story of a young couple speeding on a highway trying to get their little dog to an Emerg. Center. The dog was choking to death on some food. The police pulled them over and they tried to explain why they were speeding and the policeman basically said he didn't care about their dog. He told them not to worry, it's just a dog, you can get another one. 20 minutes later he lets them go (with a ticket) and the poor little dog has died in the car.

[plumie]

omg... that is horrible!

I hope that police office doesnt get any sleep.
He needs to rethink before he open is mouth.
that is just so cruel

[Tcarnagie]

If that would have been me, I would still be sitting in Jail because I would not have stopped until I got there.

[Morkie4]

What a nightmare for the couple and how devasting it must be to have had the dog die in the arms. If he had been a good policeman, he would have rendered them aid, or put his sirens on to lead the way to the doggie hospital and THEN he could give them a ticket if he so minded. What a crumb!!!

[MalteseJane]

What a nightmare for the couple and how devasting it must be to have had the dog die in the arms. If he had been a good policeman, he would have rendered them aid, or put his sirens on to lead the way to the doggie hospital and THEN he could give them a ticket if he so minded. What a crumb!!!

Exactly. In case of an emergency you expect them to help you not give you a ticket. Well, what goes around, comes around. I hope this comes back to haunt him.

[zeek's mom]

I watch Inside Edition on tv and today they had the story of a young couple speeding on a highway trying to get their little dog to an Emerg. Center. The dog was choking to death on some food. The police pulled them over and they tried to explain why they were speeding and the policeman basically said he didn't care about their dog. He told them not to worry, it's just a dog, you can get another one. 20 minutes later he lets them go (with a ticket) and the poor little dog has died in the car.


I would hate to die this man's death. I believe in karma and it sure is not going to be good when it comes back around. What a jerk to say it lightly out of respect for the board. :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

[Miss Melanie]

I saw that story also and just shivered thinking about how things like this can still happen. The reporter made me mad as well, asking the man "well you were going 100 mph and endangering not only yourself and your passenger but also other humans. Don't you feel that humans are just as important?"

WHAT SORT OF STATEMENT IS THAT?! SHAME on that reporter! To me that would be like saying, "which of your two children do you love more?"

:mad:
Melanie

[LilPosh]

That is horrible! Some people just don't understand how important dogs are to a lot of people! :mad::mad::mad::mad: This just makes me mad!

[plumie]

SAN MARCOS — The San Marcos police chief has reprimanded an officer who drew brickbats from around the nation for delaying two college students as they tried to rush their dying dog to a veterinarian this month.

Officer Paul Stephens, who said, “It's just a dog,” as he held the pair beside Interstate 35, received an oral reprimand and counseling, Police Chief Howard Williams said Tuesday.

“We sustained the complaint that was filed,” Williams said. “We made him watch the tape with his supervisor and he was counseled on how to improve his performance.”

But Williams said he believed his officer's assessment that the dog was not alive when he pulled over Michael Gonzales for going 95 mph on the highway after midnight Aug. 5.

Gonzales and his girlfriend Krystal Hernandez, both Texas State University students, were rushing their teacup poodle, Missy, from San Marcos to an all-night vet clinic in New Braunfels after the dog choked on her food and went limp.

The couple pleaded with Stephens to allow them to get the dog to the clinic and then turn themselves in later, or to let Gonzales stay and get his speeding ticket while Hernandez completed the trip alone. Instead, they were kept at the scene for almost 20 minutes waiting for Stephens to issue the ticket as he chatted with two other officers who arrived.

The students say the dog died while they waited.

At one point, the patrol car's dashboard camera showed Stephens telling a distraught Gonzales: “It's just a dog. You can buy another one. Relax.”

Gonzales said Tuesday he thought an oral reprimand was not sufficient.

“That's not really a punishment at all,” he said. “I don't feel a person like that should be working in law enforcement.”

Gonzales said he was surprised and gratified by the outpouring of support he has gotten from pet lovers. The story has aired nationally on “Good Morning America” and “Inside Edition.”

Two Internet petitions demanding Stephens be fired, both launched Monday afternoon, collected more than 300 signatures in a day. And a YouTube clip of the “Good Morning America” segment has been watched more than 1,500 times and collected dozens of comments, some wishing a similar fate for Stephens as the one that befell Missy.

“I'm glad people understand that it's not just a dog, it's a member of the family,” Hernandez said.

Williams said Stephens was right to stop the speeding car and said the dashboard camera shows Gonzales was clearly too upset to drive safely. But the officer should have tried to calm him down; by showing no sympathy, he made Gonzales more upset, not less, the chief said.

He denied Stephens' actions led to Missy's death.

“This dog was already dead,” Williams said. “That is one of the reasons the officers showed no urgency. Nothing the officers did or said caused this dog to die.”

Hernandez said Missy was still breathing as they waited for the ticket to be written. Gonzales has not decided whether to pursue a lawsuit against the department.
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**Shame on the Police Chief for making up excuse for his officer***

[MalteseJane]

There is an article in the Chronicle this morning too. There is no excuse. The cop is not a vet. Did he check out the dog to make sure he is death ??

[MaxJack'sMom]

When I watch this on Inside Edition, the poor guy was out of the car and walking back to the policeman telling him what happened. I don't remember seeing the policeman going up to the car and checking the dog. So, how can they say the dog was already dead:mad:

[benz_909]

omw!!!!!! that's soo sad!! i got all teary eyed from this... that police officer is an a hole! im sorry but if i was a police officer and saw that the dog was choking i would say heck, go as fast as you can!! sure it's dangerous but c'mon! there were lives at stake!

[bek74]

I think it is sad :(

[bek74]

I saw that story also and just shivered thinking about how things like this can still happen. The reporter made me mad as well, asking the man "well you were going 100 mph and endangering not only yourself and your passenger but also other humans. Don't you feel that humans are just as important?"

WHAT SORT OF STATEMENT IS THAT?! SHAME on that reporter! To me that would be like saying, "which of your two children do you love more?"

:mad:
Melanie


Mel, I love my dogs, but I love my kids more.
If my dog got out on the road and I saw my son run after it and a car was coming, I would grab my son.
I think 100mph is very dangerous, they could have had an accident and possibly harmed themselves or an innocent family going the other direction. I feel the officer pulling them over was the correct thing to do, it was his actions that followed that I think is disgusting. He should have offered to drive them, or follow them or escort them and then fined them.
Endangering the lifes of other people on the road is not right. I wouldn't want my family wiped out by a speeding uni student because their poodle was choking, but thats just me. It doesn't mean I don't love my furbabies, but if that was one of my furbabies, I would drive as fast as I legally could to get my dog to the emergency center, I wouldn't risk my life or others on the roads.

My husband is a Tow truck driver and speeding kills, no matter the good intentions of the driver, alot of innocent people die on the roads because of speeding, and enough is enough.

I think the officer was a jerk:tounge:

[jdy]

Mel, I love my dogs, but I love my kids more.
If my dog got out on the road and I saw my son run after it and a car was coming, I would grab my son.
I think 100mph is very dangerous, they could have had an accident and possibly harmed themselves or an innocent family going the other direction. I feel the officer pulling them over was the correct thing to do, it was his actions that followed that I think is disgusting. He should have offered to drive them, or follow them or escort them and then fined them.
Endangering the lifes of other people on the road is not right. I wouldn't want my family wiped out by a speeding uni student because their poodle was choking, but thats just me. It doesn't mean I don't love my furbabies, but if that was one of my furbabies, I would drive as fast as I legally could to get my dog to the emergency center, I wouldn't risk my life or others on the roads.

My husband is a Tow truck driver and speeding kills, no matter the good intentions of the driver, alot of innocent people die on the roads because of speeding, and enough is enough.

I think the officer was a jerk:tounge:

bek, i think we fully understand what you mean. i agree the cop should have pulled them over but 20 mins to write down a ticket is outrageous. he should have been more caring with the situation. I for one dont have kids. So I cant speak as a mother. Not sure but what was the actual speed limit on that road?

[jazzysmom]

OMG how horrible I am so sorry for your loss