Suspect in Burning of Truck Full of Guard Dogs Caught by Police Dog

An Inglewood man suspected of stealing and setting fire to a truck full of guard dogs was spotted by authorities Monday, but fled--only to be bitten and dragged by a police dog from his hiding place beneath a building.

John Daniels, 30, had been sought since shortly after a truck loaded with 37 attack-trained dogs belonging to C & C Sentry Dogs International of Gardena disappeared from a southside street last Sept. 5. The truck was found ablaze a short time later.

Two of the dogs burned to death. Nearly two dozen escaped. Most were recovered and one was found dead on a freeway. But four were still missing Monday, said Torrey Payne, 42, owner of C & C.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Detective Mike Bornman said a special task force was set up to find Daniels. On Monday afternoon, Bornman said, Daniels’ car was seen by detectives in a service station at 42nd Street and Vermont Avenue in South-Central Los Angeles.

The suspect reportedly jumped into his car and led officers on a short pursuit, fleeing on foot after the vehicle crashed at Vernon Avenue and Broadway. Detectives lost him and called in their own dogs, one from the Sheriff’s Department and one from the Los Angeles Police Department.

The LAPD dog picked up the scent and found Daniels in the crawl space beneath a structure on 46th Street between Grand and Broadway, Bornman said. The suspect lost the encounter.

He was booked at Firestone Sheriff’s Station on suspicion of grand theft, arson and willful cruelty to animals. Bail was set at $50,000.

Another man, Chester Hill, 25, was arrested in mid-September, but charges against him were dropped and he was released.