Man walks dogs without leash; ranger shoots man in back with 'shock weapon'

[Newsjock]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/01/31/BA921N0LQT.DTL&tsp=1

A Montara man walking two lapdogs off leash was hit with an electric-shock gun by a National Park Service ranger after allegedly giving a false name and trying to walk away, authorities said Monday.

The park ranger encountered Gary Hesterberg with his two small dogs Sunday afternoon at Rancho Corral de Tierra, which was recently incorporated into the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, said Howard Levitt, a spokesman for the park service.

... The ranger, who wasn't identified, asked Hesterberg to remain at the scene, Levitt said. He tried several times to leave, and finally the ranger "pursued him a little bit and she did deploy her" electric-shock weapon, Levitt said. "That did stop him."

... Michelle Babcock, who said she had seen the incident as she and her husband were walking their two border collies, said ... the ranger shot Hesterberg in the back with her shock weapon as he walked off.

[rfranklin]

1. We can't coddle criminals like this guy...

He probably wasn't picking up their poop either and I consider that a felony.

[xocet]

2. One may ask why....

At the end of the article, all is explained:

...

The ranger shot Hesterberg in the back with her shock weapon as he walked off, Babcock said.

"We were like in disbelief," she said. "It didn't make any sense."

Rancho Corral de Tierra has long been an off-leash walking spot for local dog owners. In December, the area became part of the national park system, which requires that all dogs be on a leash, Levitt said.

The ranger was trying to educate residents of the rule, Levitt said.

...

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/01/30/MN921N0LQT.DTL#ixzz1l3Ngr6gl

[Scuba]

3. Oh, well that's a reasonable explanation. ... Not.

[Broderick]

4. Oh that makes it all okay now

Whew. Walk a dog without a leash unknowingly because of a rule change and you should expect to be tazered.

[Rex]

7. WTF?

[onethatcares]

22. he's educated now

next thing we have to concentrate on are those folks that don't use turn signals. I think a tazer dart in the arm would work out just fine.

Wadda you guys think?

[ZombieHorde]

5. Crazy and lame. nt

[redqueen]

6. The ranger needs to lose her job...

and not ever be given any authority ever again, over anyone.

[Lawlbringer]

8. and the dogs

didn't bolt? I'd be more upset about being incapacitated and having my dogs run off. Granted, dog leashes were invented for a reason, but overkill is overkill. I hope the dogs are okay.

[mrs_p]

12. border collies

mine would never leave her "sheep."

[surfdog]

9. The OP is not accurate and is misleading

The man was shot for giving the wrong name and trying to leave the scene not because his dog was off leash

Not defending the Ranger but just looking for the truth to be posted

[joeybee12]

10. Agree...the ranger over-reacted, but the guy was being a d**k...nt

[mrs_p]

11. I don't understand how they can consider

border collies to be lapdogs. My 40lb border collie would never sit on my lap.

Oh, and the electro shock was definitely overkill.

[surfdog]

14. You need to read the article one more time

[mrs_p]

17. read it twice

just thought the lady and man were married. I never assume couples will have the same last name. But, now I get it. Her husband is not the guy tasered.

[MadHound]

13. Ranger should be fired immediately

She way overreacted to the situation. You don't shock people for walking dogs off leash, or for lying about their names. That is considered torture by most civilized countries.

But authoritarians will find some way to excuse such behavior, and blame the victim as always.

[JohnnyRingo]

15. This dovetails with the prime argument against tasers.

It's said that since the weapon is not lethal, officers are much more likely to use it whan they don't have to.

A probation officer friend of mine pointed out how when a problem arises for fellow policemen, just the act of drawing a taser gets the immediate attention and respect of alleged criminals. Unfortunately, that puts the officer in the position to fire if he's feeling twitchy, and it happens often.

I believe this ranger put him/herself in that very same uncompromising situation that ended in bad judgement.

[Iggo]

16. Yay, Cops!

They're the best!

(EDIT: I typ gud.)

[Found in Yonkers]

18. I see a future for this Ranger:

Secret Service agent, assigned to President Romney's pooch.

[larkrake]

19. If a ranger asked me my name, I would not give my name

Not until a ticket is being written . Rangers are not vetted well enough to be trusted with my personal data. If she explained the new rules, and he grew beligerant or had no leashes, she should have ticketed him, not shot him. Another tazer happy semi-cop. Sue her ass, tho rangers dont make much and tend to be anti-civilization, not a bad thing. Sue her boss.

[joeybee12]

20. How do you write a ticket when a guy simply walks away from you?

I agree she over-reacted...I think she should have cuffed him.

[larkrake]

21. you follow him while writing. Cuffing is too much unless he is violent.

[1monster]

23. She refused to tell him why she wanted him to stay. According to

the witnesses, he asked her more than once and she wouldn't reply.

I for one, really resent ANYONE demanding my name. It is my personal possession to give or not to give as I please. If an LEO has a legitimate reason, s/he can tell me that reason. Otherwise, it is just an intimidation tactic.