Bystander says she was bitten during K9 pursuit

A bystander who had one or two dogs was bitten during a police K-9 pursuit Tuesday in Centralia.

The incident began with the pursuit of a suspected stolen vehicle. The driver stopped the car and fled, prompting the officer to release his K-9.

At the same time, a woman came out of her house, carrying a small dog. The officer called the K-9 off and the dog laid down. However, at the same time, the K-9 was attacked by a pit bull that appeared to come from the same residence, according to police reports.

The officer broke up the dog fight and told the woman to go inside her house. The officer and K-9 resumed the search for the suspect.

Meanwhile, the bystander called 911 and said she had been bitten. She was transported to a local hospital where she was treated and released for minor injuries.

Centralia Police Chief Carl Nielsen stated, “This was a dynamic incident with a lot of different things occurring at the same time. The incident is being reviewed by police department staff, but at this point it is unclear which of the three dogs involved may have caused the injuries to the resident.”

This story was originally published October 29, 2015 at 9:38 AM with the headline "Bystander says she was bitten during K9 pursuit."