Lost, Muzzled German Shepherd Takes Cops On A Slow-Speed Highway Pursuit

A frightened dog led police here on a pursuit around southeast Antioch over the weekend that included a slow-speed chase on Highway 4.

Residents first began calling police Saturday night to report that a German shepherd wearing a muzzle was on the lam and foiling all attempts to capture him.

“He was a wily big guy,” Lt. Tarra Mendes said.

Police dispatchers received the first alert that he was still on the lam at 1:08 p.m. Sunday when someone reported that the dog was near the Shell gas station at Lone Tree Way and Mokelumne Drive.

And the calls continued: Residents saw him running across Lone Tree Way, others spotted him on Deer Valley Road, then on Whitehoof Way — “literally running everywhere,” Mendes said.

By the time an officer was dispatched at 1:30 p.m. the dog had spent the night in the rain and, with a muzzle, was unable to eat or drink, Mendes said.

A second police unit joined the chase followed by an animal control officer, but the German shepherd eluded them as it moved ever closer to the highway.

Drivers who pulled over to help only spooked him more.

Harris Drive, Windsor Drive, East Tregallas Road — the dog kept running. A resident flagged down police: The animal was now on A street approaching the Highway 4 onramp. And at 3:47 p.m., an officer reported that he was in the car pool lane headed west.

By this point three units were on the call because the incident had turned dangerous for motorists as well.

“With a large dog in and out of traffic it could very easily cause a major collision,” Mendes said.

Lights flashing, officers slowly followed their target as he loped along the median. They lost sight of him somewhere between the L Street and Auto Center exits, then spotted him again — this time running eastbound in the emergency lane.

The dog finally took the A Street/Lone Tree Way off-ramp where a search ensued until a resident in the 300 block of Worrell Road contacted police saying there was a German Shepherd in his backyard.

Two cops and an animal control officer showed up, using a control pole to snare the frightened dog that was trying to hide in a corner of the property.

As of Tuesday afternoon he was still at the animal shelter, where he is recovering from the ordeal and will remain until at least Saturday, Mendes said.

If no one claims him by then — the dog had no ID tag or microchip — he might be available to an animal rescue group or even put up for adoption, she said.

He appears to be healthy but is very timid, and Mendes emphasized that authorities first must be certain that he isn’t aggressive before releasing him

Special thanks to Rowena Coetsee and The East Bay Times