SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A man charged two separate times with stabbing San Diego police dogs within a year was convicted Friday of brandishing a weapon to resist arrest, while jurors were unable to reach verdicts on other counts such as animal cruelty.
Dedrick Jones, 36, was charged twice in 2021 with stabbing police dogs that year. After pleading guilty to stabbing police dog Titan during a standoff in January, Jones was sentenced to one year in jail, plus probation.
While on probation for Titan's stabbing, he allegedly stabbed police dog Hondo on Dec. 17.
Jones went to trial this month on several felony charges related to Hondo's stabbing but was convicted solely of brandishing a knife. He will return to court Tuesday to see if prosecutors will re-try him on the other counts.
According to SDPD Lt. Adam Sharki, Jones was approached by officers responding to a vandalism call on the morning of Dec. 17 and saw Jones swinging a knife in the 3700 block of Riley Street in the Midway District.
"Despite officers' efforts to de-escalate the situation, Jones refused to cooperate and climbed onto a parked car," Sharki said. "Jones eventually stepped down and came towards officers while still armed with the knife."
Officers deployed Hondo, who was stabbed at least twice before officers were able to take Jones into custody, Sharki said.
Hondo received treatment at a San Diego veterinary hospital and was expected to survive, the lieutenant said late last year.
In January of 2021, Jones was armed with two knives and stabbed a police dog, Titan, following an hours-long standoff, Sharki said.
"Canine Titan received 100 stitches, had part of his colon removed, and endured weeks of recovery," the lieutenant said.
Jones pleaded guilty to felony animal cruelty and assault on a peace officer in that case.
