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By Times Staff WriterAuthorities say a fleeing man choked, punched and kicked one of their dogs. But the dog is okay.
TAMPA - A Wimauma man faces several felony and misdemeanor charges after a traffic stop Tuesday night during which, deputies say, he tried to strangle a Hillsborough Sheriff's Office dog.
Deputy Adam Whitted pulled over Hector Cerda, 24, of 14409 U.S. 301, after seeing him drive through a stop sign at Balm/Riverview and Big Bend roads at 8:29 p.m., according to a sheriff's report.
Cerda stopped his Blue Chevrolet and ran, officials say. He tried to jump over a gate at 12911 Gordon Road but fell, sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said. Whitted ordered Cerda to stop, but Cerda kept running - dropping a 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun along the way, Carter said.
When Cerda ran into the back yard of 12919 Gordon Road, Deputy Brian Davis sent his dog, Otis, to find him. The dog found Cerda hiding under a trailer. Cerda didn't obey deputies' orders to come out, so they sent Otis to get him, Carter said. Cerda tried to strangle Otis, then punched and kicked the dog, sheriff's deputies said.
Deputies subdued Cerda after a few minutes, arrested him and booked him into the county jail, where he is being held in lieu of $7,000 bail. He faces charges of carrying a concealed firearm, obstructing an officer without violence, obstructing an officer with violence, injuring a police dog and giving a false name to law enforcement officers.
Otis was not injured, Carter said.