How long a sentence do you think this man deserves for driving under influence?
As sad & tragic it is that this man was desperate enough to attempt suicide, isn’t it terribly sad that Stryker had to die saving him?
Los Angeles, Feb 20 (DPA) A man who sent a police dog to its death as it was trying to prevent him from committing suicide has been sentenced to 44 months in jail, the San Diego Tribune has reported.
Cory Byron, 27, was attempting to jump off the Coronado Bridge in San Diego Dec 31, 2007, after driving drunkenly through traffic. A police office trying to apprehend him saw Byron’s suicide bid and released police dog Stryker to intercept.
As Byron got ready to jump off the bridge, Stryker locked his teeth onto his arm and both plunged some 70 meters into the waters below.
Byron survived the fall and was rescued, but the dog died.
He pleaded guilty last September to one count each of felony evading and driving under the influence. He also entered a no-contest plea to a misdemeanour charge of harming a service animal. He told the court that he did not realise the dog had fallen with him.
California highway patrol officers say Byron’s blood-alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit. He has been in jail since the incident and could be released later this year.
Too bad the guy just didn’t die like he wanted to.
cop should get 6 months for letting the dog attack the poor guy
sounds like he needs a counsellor rather then a prison sentence.
What a ridiculous way to try and stop a suicide attempt!
He needs a lobotomy rather than a jail sentence. We had a neighbour, one of the nicest people you could ever meet, helpful, kind, considerate and a brilliant husband and father also held a very high powered job in engineering which meant he travelled extensively throughout the world. His great failing was alcohol, two bottles of beer or a couple of glasses of wine would see him trolleyed. He was caught three times over a five year period and the last time they jailed him for seven years and quite right too but all that industrious intelligence dormant in a jail cell? Why can’t they give people an op which eliminates the alcohol craving or a series of injections? It’s destroyed his marriage, his and his families lives and given him a stigma for the rest of his life.
It’s why suicide is such a selfish act. Look at what it does to other people that have done nothing to deserve it!
That man should be forced to work with animals to see their compassion. He should get help – professional help. Life is short. It can get better with patience and the right perspective.
Suicide = very selfish = very hurtful = destroys more than one life
I’m not sure a police dog would be able to negotiate with someone about to commit suicide, but 44 months does seem a little soft.
Drunk drivers should have their legs amputated!