A police dog was quarantined Thursday after attacking the 4-year-old son of his Rialto police officer handler in the high desert, leaving the boy with injuries were so severe that doctors had to amputate his left leg.
That boy was taken to Loma Linda hospital after the attack at his family’s Hesperia home on Sunday, and he remains hospitalized.
Neighbor Jeff Houlemarde broke down the house’s fence because on the other side, he could hear horrifying screams coming from the young boy, who was getting mauled by the K-9, who has been with the boy’s father for two years.
"I run up to the dog and kick him, and I kicked him in the back hind quarters and he still didn't release the boy," Houlemarde said.
The dog was Jango, a highly trained police K-9 whose handler is veteran Rialto police officer Mike Mastaler. The officer’s image is not being released because he works undercover.
"So I jumped on top of the dog and had to pry his mouth open," Houlemarde remembers.
Another neighbor pulled the boy away from Jango., and Rialto police say at that point officer Mastaler rushed outside and put Jango back in his kennel.
"This all happened within a two minute time frame," said Capt. Randy DeAnda.
DeAnda said prior to the attack, Officer Mastaler had released Jango from his kennel into the fenced in backyard to let him stretch his legs. The officer then went upstairs to change his clothes. His son was downstairs and went looking for his mom.
"It appears he went out the back sliding glass door and screen door," DeAnda said.
For some unknown reason, Jango attacked the boy. Since the dog was left unsupervised, Mastaler could be disciplined by Rialto police.
DeAnda said the whole incident is a double tragedy, and refers to Mastaler as one Rialto’s finest veteran officers.
Not only is Mastaler dealing with the loss of his son’s leg, but he may also lose Jango.
"And ultimately there has to be a decision made as to whether or not the dog has to be put down," DeAnda said.
According to police. Jango has never showed any signs of aggression toward people he is familiar with.