Putnam, CT — A Thompson man was arrested Thursday afternoon following a confrontation stemming from his dog biting another man’s service dog in the Hale YMCA parking lot.
According to the Connecticut State Police, at approximately 2:48 PM on Thursday, December 26th, 2024, Troopers were dispatched to 9 Technology Park Dr – Hale YMCA for reports of an active fight in the parking lot with dogs involved.
Troopers arrived to find the victim, a 67-year-old Putnam man, and his service dog in the lobby with blood on them. The man told troopers he and his service dog were attacked by another man’s dog in the parking lot forcing him to kick the other dog to stop the attack. The attacking dog’s owner then approached him, began arguing, and punched him in the face causing him to fall.
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The other man, later identified as a 45-year-old Thompson man, fled before Troopers arrived. Through their investigation, Troopers quickly identified the man and attempted to find him at his address. During that time the man returned to the scene where he told troopers his dog (a pitbull) had opened the window of his rental vehicle as he was driving out of the parking lot. He immediately exited the vehicle to retrieve the dog, quickly securing it in the vehicle. When he went back to check on the other man, words were exchanged and he felt the other man “appeared aggressive with his fist clenched”. He went on to tell troopers he punched the man because he thought he was going to be attacked.
The Putnam man was transported by Putnam EMS to Day Kimball Hospital with minor injuries. The Thompson man refused transport. NECOG took custody of the man’s dogs (pitbulls) to place them in quarantine. It is unclear if any of the dogs sustained injuries.
The Thompson man was arrested and released on a $1,000 cash bond for the following charges:
- Breach of Peace 2nd Degree Assault/Strike (CGS 53a-181a2)
- Assault 3rd Degree (CGS 53a-61)
- Assault on Elderly (CGS 53a-181a2)
- Allowing a Dog/Livestock to Roam (CGS 22-364a)
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