Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019 | 1:45 p.m.
LAKEWOOD, Colo. — A Colorado man says officers in suburban Denver allowed a police dog to attack him while he slept, nearly killing him and permanently damaging his vocal chords.
The Denver Post reported Monday that 25-year-old Spencer Erickson sued Lakewood police, saying officers improperly released the dog to search an apartment for him in September 2018 when they were investigating a non-violent property crime.
The lawsuit says the dog bit Erickson's neck, leaving wounds nearly 2 inches (5 centimeters) deep that came dangerously close to a jugular vein.
Lakewood police spokesman John Romero says the department doesn't comment on pending litigation.
The lawsuit says the officers were responding to a 911 call from Erickson's roommate who said Erickson had cut a hole in the apartment's attic and might be in the crawlspace.
