POLICE ASSISTING DOG WARDEN

LEADS TO ARREST OF ELYRIA WOMAN

Call Time: 12:45 p.m. Saturday May 2, 2009
Elyria – Elyria Police Officers were detailed to the area of Middle Ave and George Street Saturday afternoon after Lorain County Dog Warden Nelson Delgado made the request for assistance.

Delgado had been dispatched to the area after receiving complaints of a pit bull at large in the neighborhood. Delgado advised Police that he was going to attempt to catch the dog by using his tranquilizer gun after repeated attempts with a noose and other traditional methods failed. Delgado also advised Police that two black males were also running after the dog and when they saw him with a gun they told him; “we have guns too.”

When Police arrived the dog had made his way to the 200 block of Wooster – along with the two black males still running after the dog yelling to the Warden to not shoot the dog. Officers told the men to stop chasing after the dog but they refused and continued to run after the dog.

Eventually the dog made his way into a fenced in yard at 238 Wooster Street – trapped by the fence. One of the two males that had been chasing the dog got into the fenced in area and after a few slips finally got the dog by the collar. The dog, not happy about being caught, continued to try and get away from the grasp of the man.

While the man was walking towards the fence gate where the Officers and Dog Warden were, the dog’s owner 35 year old Melissa Wisniewski of Elyria arrived. Wisniewski parked her car in the middle of the road and headed up the driveway to where the Officers were with the dog. Wisniewski began screaming obscenities as she walked toward the Officers. One Officer advised her to stand back and for her own safety not to come up the driveway. Wisniewski screamed, “fuck you.” The Officer advised Wisniewski to watch her mouth – Wisniewski once again replied with, “fuck you” and continued walking towards the Officers, while shouting “that’s my mother fucking dog.”

Both Officers then began telling Wisniewski to stop the swearing – Wisniewski continued shouting that it was her “mother fucking dog” and that Officers didn’t have aright to shoot it. Officers attempted to calm Wisniewski down and again advised her to stop swearing.

Wisniewski then became even more irate when she learned that she may be charged with allowing her dog to run at large. Wisniewski continued screaming obscenities towards the Officers drawing attention from neighbors. One of the Officers then advised Wisniewski that if she did not calm down and stop swearing that she would be arrested for Disorderly Conduct Persisting. Wisniewski screamed; “well, then fucking arrest me.”

While Officers began placing her in handcuffs Wisniewski continued screaming obscenities and began to pull away from the Officers. While one Officer secured her left wrist, Wisniewski and faced one of the Officers and said to; “stop profiling her.” The other Officer took hold of her right arm, and Officers were able to guide her toward the front of a Police car. Wisniewski was placed face down against the hood of the car and again was advised to stop resisting – Wisniewski refused to comply and continued to thrash around.

Once Officers were able to secure Wisniewski in cuffs she was placed in the Police car.

Wisniewski advised Officers that the two men that had been chasing the dog were her sons but offered no additional information. The two men had left the scene while their mom was being placed under arrest.

Delgado said that this was not the first time he had been called to the same neighborhood for the same dog running at large.

Wisniewski was taken to Elyria City Jail where she was charged with Resisting Arrest (M-2), Disorderly Conduct Persisting (M-4), Dog at Large (M-4) and Proof of Insurance (M-1).

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