A man accused of several crimes appeared in bond court after, authorities said, he attempted to drown a police K-9 dog in a lake while fleeing from deputies in Oakland Park.
Charles Wilder appeared in bond court Wednesday with a bandage on his arm.
Broward Sheriff’s Office officials said one of their deputies spotted the suspect, who had a warrant out for his arrest in connection to several petty thefts, outside of the Dollar General store along the 2100 block of West Oakland Park Boulevard, Tuesday afternoon.
When the deputy attempted to make contact with Wilder, investigators said, he fled the scene on foot and ran into a nearby neighborhood.
Deputies dispatched Moose the K-9 dog. Wilder jumped into a nearby lake, and when the dog went in after him, detectives said, the suspect attempted to drown the assisting K-9.
The arrest report states Wilder, 33, “intentionally and willfully repeatedly dunked K-9 Moose’s head under the water in an attempt to drown the dog.”
Wilder was later apprehended.
Authorities said Moose is going to be OK.
As for Wilder, he remains behind bars. He faces a list of charges, including one count of causing great harm or death to a police, fire or safety and rescue animal, one count of resisting an officer without violence, and eight counts of petit theft in the second degree.
If Wilder is able to post bond, the presiding judge in Wednesday’s hearing ordered the suspect to refrain from coming back to the area where the incident took place.