Matthew Mireles on trial for killing police dog, Chucky (PHOTOS)
Chucky was a Belgian Malanois. The dog died in the line of duty. Mireles shot the furry officer to death while resisting arrest.
- Chucky was a Belgian Malanois.
- The heroic dog died in the line of duty.
- Mireles shot the furry officer to death while resisting arrest.
Matthew Mireles is on trial for the shooting death of Chucky, a Texas police dog. The 42-year-old Hispanic man’s crime is considered very serious because he shot a trained canine officer in the line of duty.
The irony of Matthew Mireles’ crime is that it all started when a police officer in the San Antonio, Texas area, was simply trying to give him a traffic ticket. However, he fled in his truck, unleashing a police mobilization that culminated in the murder of four-legged officer Chucky.
Matthew Mireles is on trial for killing a police dog
Matthew Mireles’ crime occurred in 2019, however, there is no deadline that has not been met, nor a date that has not been reached. He is going to trial in San Antonio, Texas on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 in Bexar County.
The list of charges facing Matthew Mireles are murder of a canine police officer, unlawful possession of a firearm and evading arrest. The canine officer, Chucky, was a Belgian Malanois, trained for service with the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO).
Mireles committed a serious crime
However, if found guilty, Matthew Mireles could face a severe penalty since, in addition to the list of crimes that he is accused of related to the death of the canine officer Chucky, he also has a criminal record for driving under the influence of alcohol and arms smuggling to a prison, among others.
The Texas State Penal Code says that the crime of murder of a canine police officer is punishable by two to 10 years for those found guilty in court. He also faces potential penalties for other crimes.
It all started with a speeding truck
On the icy night of Friday, January 25, 2019, according to the legal documents of the case consulted by MundoNow, Matthew Mireles was speeding in his truck down a rural highway in Karnes City, in the southeastern metropolitan area of San Antonio, Texas.
A Karnes City Police Department (KCPD) officer spotted Matthew Mireles’ truck began pursuit to issue a ticket. However, the man sped up when he saw the patrol car and fled north.
Several patrol cars blocked his way
The KCPD officer radioed an alert to other area departments and transmitted the license plate number of the truck that Matthew Mireles was driving. Several officers came out to support their colleague. The chase lasted more than half an hour through dark rural roads.
Officers from the Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDPS) and the BCSO also joined the pursuit. The furry officer, Chucky, was traveling in one of those patrol cars. Patrol officers blocked Matthew Mireles’ path at the intersection of Loop 1604 and Highway 151 in southeast San Antonio.
Chucky died in the line of duty
Matthew Mireles stopped his mad dash when he was surrounded by police officers. He even tried to escape and rammed into one of the patrol cars, but he was surrounded. He then sped into some bushes and attempted to run through the undergrowth. That’s where Chucky sprang into action. The officers sent the dog to chase the fugitive.
Chucky reached Matthew Mireles and snapped at his leg. The man then fired several shots at the canine officer who was biting him. There was nothing that could be done to save his life. Chucky was buried with full police honors.