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Rockton Police under fire after man claims his dog died after prolonged traffic stop, bodycam videos out: ‘Unacceptable’
Rockton Police are facing outrage on social media after a Wisconsin man alleged his French Bulldog died during a traffic stop encounter on July 27.
Rockton Police are facing outrage on social media after a Wisconsin man alleged his French Bulldog died during a traffic stop encounter on July 27. Cops released body camera footage of the incident after the allegations.
Viral TikTok videos posted by Waldemar Collazo Gonzalez accused Rockton Police of failing to properly respond after his eight-month-old French Bulldog, Kody, reportedly suffered heat stroke after he was pulled over.
What police said
Police said that Officer Graham stopped Collazo Gonzalez around 12:40 pm after allegedly observing him driving 75 mph in a 55 mph zone. The department admitted that Kody was panting inside the vehicle. Authorities noted that temperatures were forecast to reach 92 degrees and heat warnings were in effect across the region.
Police claimed that the stop was so long because Collazo Gonzalez initially claimed he did not have identification. They claimed that he later showed images on a cellphone that allegedly showed driver’s licenses with two different birth dates. He was then arrested and cited for driving with a suspended license and other violations.
According to the department, Collazo Gonzalez requested that Kody be placed inside the officer’s air-conditioned squad car because his own vehicle was being impounded. Graham then agreed and placed the dog in the patrol vehicle at approximately 1:02 pm, per a release, mystateline.com reported.
According to authorities, Collazo Gonzalez’s car lacked working air conditioning and had no water even though he was on a planned trip toward the Milwaukee area.
Kody later began showing signs of distress, police said. At Collazo Gonzalez’s request, Graham transported both him and Kody to a nearby Kelley Williamson Mobil gas station at approximately 1:35 pm. Police said that there, the officer bought ice, got water for the dog and placed a bag of ice beneath Kody to help cool him down. A video shows Collazo Gonzalez telling officers that the breed can die if not kept cool.
The department said that Kody remained in the air-conditioned squad car for approximately 33 minutes before he was taken to the gas station. Graham then remained at the scene for another 46 minutes, and assisted Collazo Gonzalez and the pooch. According to police, body camera footage showed Collazo Gonzalez later thanking the officer, shaking his hand.
The department said that follow-up investigation found that Collazo Gonzalez and Kody left the gas station shortly before 4:30 pm. Witnesses said that the dog’s condition appeared to be improving before they left.
Police said that Collazo Gonzalez later claimed on social media that Kody died at approximately 5:36 pm.
Social media outrage
In an X post, journalist Sarah Fields blamed Rockton Police for Kody’s death.
She alleged, “They redacted nearly the entire written report. They also redacted very strange portions of the bodycam footage, including a portion where, allegedly, Gonzalez’s aunt was telling the officer over the phone to at least give the dog some water. She also told the officer, “The dog is gonna die if they don’t do anything.””
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Fields alleged that Collazo Gonzalez and his dog got help only after he repeatedly begged for it for a prolonged time, by which Kody was already in distress, adding that “there appears to be no urgency for Kody.”
Furious Netizens commented on the post, with one writing, “Every single one of these POS cops should be prosecuted for animal abuse and held to the highest standard because they are the ones supposed to be protecting the innocent!!!!” “@rocktonpolice are these officers going to be charged with animal cruelty?!” one user asked.
“This is horrific. These cops are subhuman monsters. Please keep this in the spotlight and make these devils pay,” wrote a user, while another said, “Those officers need to be fired. It was clear as day that the dog was in distress. Those officers cannot be trusted to serve the public. They lack compassion and intelligence.” One user commented, “Everyone involved should be federally prosecuted for animal cruelty. This is unacceptable”.
