Pittsburgh man charged with injuring police dog

A man who was running from police in Pittsburgh’s Spring Hill neighborhood Tuesday night hit and attempted to choke a police dog before he was taken into custody, according to a criminal complaint.

Police were seeking Arthur Patterson, 28, of Perry South, after Patterson’s ex-girlfriend reported that he had threatened her with a gun when she wouldn’t let him see their children, according to the complaint.

Police pursued Patterson from Mina to Rhine streets, and the police dog Spike was used to locate and attempt to subdue him, according to the complaint.

Spike bit Patterson’s left arm when he wouldn’t comply with police orders, and Patterson hit the dog and attempted to choke it, according to the complaint.

Police ultimately used a Taser to subdue Patterson, and they found a small baggie of marijuana in his pocket, according to the complaint.

Police also found the gun Patterson is alleged to have used to threaten his ex-girlfriend, a .22 cal. pistol that was loaded and had been stolen from Duquesne, according to the complaint.

Patterson is charged with simple assault, resisting arrest, flight, escape, tampering with evidence, two firearms charges and a felony police animals charge because of the incident with Spike, according to the complaint.

The dog wasn’t injured, police said.