A Yakima police officer who sued the city for negligence after he was attacked and severely bitten by a police dog two years ago has settled the case.
Officer Jim Castillo dropped the lawsuit after the city settled with him for $95,000, Assistant City Attorney Helen Harvey said this week. Court records show the lawsuit was settled May 10.
Castillo, a 16-year veteran of the force, was attacked by police dog Luka on May 3, 2002, while responding to a prowler complaint in southeast Yakima near South Seventh and Arlington streets.
According to the lawsuit, the dog attacked Castillo while he was speaking to a witness. Luka knocked him to the ground and bit him several times despite the handler's commands to stop.
A severe bite wound and subsequent infection damaged a major muscle in Castillo's right forearm, requiring that the muscle be removed in surgery.
The department later traded Luka, a 2-year-old Belgian malinois, for another dog.
In his lawsuit, Castillo alleged the department failed to properly train the dog's handler, Officer Lori Sheeley, and violated its own policy requiring the dog be on a leash.
Castillo also said Luka had a history of unprovoked attacks on other police officers as well as civilians. Police officials acknowledged there had been two prior incident, but said both were minor.
Castillo is still with the department. He was unavailable for comment Wednesday, and his attorney, Joe Fischnaller of Bellevue, did not return a phone call seeking comment.
Another lawsuit against Yakima police settled earlier this year paid $10,000 to a woman who claimed she was injured in a crash while being taken to jail in a police van.
Azalea Kay Ranta-Davis said she was injured Nov. 28, 2000, while sitting in a cage in the back of a transport van. She was handcuffed at the time. The van was not equipped with seatbelts.
Harvey said the suit was settled in April for $10,000.
After the suit was filed in November, Harvey said the van had been forced to stop quickly in traffic and did not actually collide with another vehicle.
Ranta-Davis was in custody at the time on a charge of malicious mischief, according to police records.
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