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Gene Kennedy reportingA dog was ejected from a car during a chase in Davis County, and now the teenager accused in that chase and the deputy who pursued him are each giving their side of the story. As for the dog, he survived the 100-mile-an-hour chase.
He's got a few injuries but didn't look bad. Did his owner throw him out of the car during the chase, or did the dog jump out? That's where there are two very different stories.
Dozer is an 8-month-old rottweiler-pit bull mix. He now has an injury to his eye, a broken pelvis and some road rash on his leg. The dog was along for the ride on a high-speed chase before Christmas.
Dallas Bruehl, the chase suspect, says, "I just panicked. I didn't have my license on me, no plate on the back of the car. I panicked, and once it started it just progressed."
Davis County deputies say they chased Dallas Bruehl down Orchard Drive in North Salt Lake.
"I was probably pushing 110 just as they radared me," Bruehl said.
But what happened to Dozer the dog is where stories contradict. Bruehl says, "We were just going, took the right turn, he flew. He was panicking in the front seat. He got into the back seat. The window was broken somehow, I don't know how. He got on the spoiler and I braked to get him in the car, but he got back up there and jumped out."
Dep. Matt Boucher, with the Davis Co. Sheriff's office, said, "From what I could tell, it looked like the dog was tossed out the window."
Dallas' mom, though, says she doesn't believe her son threw the dog out the window. Then she adds, "His actions on the evading was stupid. We've told him that, and he needs to pay the price whatever it is."
Davis County deputies terminated the chase for safety reasons, so that night Dallas Bruehl got away, but his dog Dozer turned up at a home. The homeowner called police. Once they tracked down the dog, that led them to Dallas Bruehl.
Police arrested Bruehl and Deputy Boucher took car of Dozer for a few days. "We're all shocked the dog survived such a horrific event," he said.
Dozer is back home with the Bruehl family, and now judge or jury will decide who to believe: the teenager or the deputy.
"I'm gonna fight the animal cruelty charge and see what I can do about the evading police charge," Bruehl said.
Davis County deputies say Dallas Bruehl has been in trouble for speed racing and other traffic violations. Bruehl will go before the courts in January.
