Owner of Barking Dog Shot in Leg; Motive Is Unclear

A 38-year-old woman was arrested Friday after she allegedly shot a man in the leg because of his barking dog, police said.

Diane McLane of Linda Isle was booked on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with the shooting of Jeffrey Williams, 23, of Newport Beach, Police Sgt. Andy Gonis said.

She was being held in the City Jail in lieu of $250,000 bail.

Williams, who was wounded in his left leg, was taken to Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, where he was treated and released.

According to witnesses, the shooting occurred around 3:15 p.m. at a shopping center at 177 Riverside Ave. McLane had been walking around the parking lot looking at parked cars before the shooting, witnesses told police.

“At one point, she removed a guitar out of a parked car and played it briefly and placed it in what is believed to be her vehicle,” Gonis said.

“Then, she became upset with a dog that was barking in what we believe was the victim’s car, which was parked,” Gonis said.

The woman confronted Williams, who was on crutches with a cast over an ankle, “and accused him of being the devil and then shot him,” Gonis said.

Detectives have not established a motive for the attack, but are investigating the possibility that “the suspect may have been suffering from some emotional instability,” Gonis said.

Ursula Kugi, a nurse at Superior Walk In Medical Clinic and a neighbor of Williams’, said she had treated him recently for a broken foot. Williams had been in a cast for the last six weeks after apparently breaking his foot while body surfing, she said.

“I can’t believe it,” Kugi said. “Who would shoot Jeff? He’s the nicest guy you’d ever want to know.”

No one answered the door at William’s house Friday night. A large wooden dog house in the front yard displayed the warning: “Dog bites first, asks questions later.” A bumper sticker on the dog house admonished: “The Eleventh Commandment--Never Hit Your Dog.”

Neighbors said Williams lives alone with his dog, Caesar, a large black mixed breed.

“It’s a big black dog and he has a mean bark,” said Mary Dufault, 21, who lives across the street.

Neighbors said the dog would sometimes lunge at people as they strolled the sidewalk past William’s cottage.

Another neighbor said Williams often kept the dog chained to a post in front of his home.

“He was very conscientious about the dog, picking up its messes and keeping it chained up,” said Richard Sales, 38, who lives across the street. “But, I will tell you it’s not a yard I would want to go in.”

Times staff writer Tammerlin Drummond contributed to this report.