By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

Sepas Hernandez

WARSAW — A Warsaw man was recently arrested for allegedly threatening police officers after an animal complaint.

Sepas Hernandez, 59, 1012 E. Winona Ave., Warsaw, is charged with intimidation, a level 6 felony; resisting law enforcement, a class A misdemeanor; and harboring a non-immunized dog, a class B misdemeanor.

On April 12, Warsaw Police officers responded to an animal complaint. A man said he was walking when two dogs began following him, one of which was aggressive and nipped him.

According to court documents, upon searching the area, officers found the dogs inside a small, fenced-in kennel at a residence. Officers approached the home and spoke with Hernandez, who said his dogs never got out of their kennels and are obedient.

When one of the officers left the residence, the dogs began actively attacking, jumping and biting them.

One of the responding officers drew their firearm and shot one of the dogs.

Hernandez then yelled at the officers and told them to not shoot his dogs, or he would shoot them. The injured officer had a bite on their back that punctured their skin, and a scratch on their elbow.

While being taken into custody, Hernandez forcibly pulled back and dug his heels into the ground to attempt to stop the officers from putting him into a police vehicle. Hernandez also threatened to burn down the officers’ houses.

A local animal control officer said there was no record of rabies immunizations for at least four years prior to this incident for the dog which bit the officer.

Hernandez has already been arrested and released on bond. He has an initial hearing at 11 a.m. May 18, in Kosciusko Superior Court One.