February 22, 2007

By Lauren Heaton

On Saturday, Feb. 17, two Yellow Springs police officers were involved in a foot chase that resulted in an arrest and the shooting death of a dog.

According to Police Chief John Grote, just before 11 p.m. on Saturday, police received several calls about a woman who was screaming on Glen Street. When on-duty police officers Tim Knoth and Patrick Roegner arrived at the scene on Glen Street near Xenia Avenue, they saw a woman lying down in a snow bank on the side of the road with a man standing over her and grabbing her coat. According to Grote, both officers said it appeared to be “an assault in progress.”

The officers recognized the man as Atom Lisi, Yellow Springs, and ordered him to approach the police cruiser. Lisi started in the opposite direction, and as police continued to order him to stop, he began to run down Xenia Avenue toward Village BP. As Knoth and Roegner pursued Lisi, Lisi’s dog began to chase after both officers. The dog attacked Roegner’s leg and then latched onto Knoth’s head, biting his skull and his arm.

According to Grote, officer Knoth warned Lisi several times to call the dog off the attack, saying he could be forced to shoot the dog if it did not desist. Lisi, who was intoxicated, ignored the order, and the dog continued to attack the officers. Knoth felt he had no other option than to shoot the dog, who died at the scene, Grote said.

Officer Knoth received medical treatment for his wounds, but he remained on duty for the rest of his shift. Officer Roegner did not need medical attention, Grote said.

The woman, a local juvenile, was picked up by her parents.

The dog, an estimated 80-pound mixed breed named Elvira, was immediately picked up by Greene County Animal Control and is being tested for rabies.

Police charged Lisi with disorderly conduct by intoxication, resisting arrest and obstruction of official business for refusing to listen to the commands of an officer and for physically struggling and wrestling while being handcuffed. Lisi was arrested and taken to the Greene County Jail.

Contact: lheaton@ysnews.com