Man accused of injuring Naperville police dog

A Plainfield man is free on bond after police charged him with taunting, then injuring, a Naperville police dog.

Douglas Carncross, 26, of the 300 block of Edison Lane in Plainfield, has been charged with injuring a police animal, criminal trespass to a vehicle and resisting arrest following an altercation with police and the Naperville Police Canine Unit at 1:45 a.m. Sunday morning, said Naperville Police Sgt. John Westlove.

An officer was returning to his fully marked Naperville Police Canine squad in the 0 to 100 block of West Jefferson Street when he noticed Carncross taunting the dog through the window of the vehicle.

“He was pressing his face up to the window, yelling at the dog and sticking his tongue out,” Westlove said.

The squad is equipped with a canine cage in the back of the vehicle, but the dog is able to get out of the car when one of the rear doors is opened, Westlove said.

Westlove said the officer started to run to the car to stop Carncross, but the man opened the back door, allowing the dog — Sabek — to stick his head out.

Carncross then became alarmed and slammed the door, smashing the dog’s head and snout between the door and door frame, police said. The move caused the dog to suffer some minor injuries, including bleeding gums, Westlove said.

At that point, Carncross took off at a run, and the K-9 officer chased him, joined by another back up unit.

Carncross was captured after a brief chase, Westlove said.

Carncross posted an undisclosed bond. His court date was not immediately available.

“The dog is OK,” Westlove said. “He was administered some first aid at the scene and should recover fine.”