Tongues wag over dog’s demise

Pet lovers put byte on traffic stop cop... and city

By Anita Miller

San Marcos — There are at least nine online petitions with literally thousands of signatures. There’s also been an appearance on ABC’s Good Morning America and mentions on more purely entertainment-oriented TV shows, not to mention call-in dialogues on talk radio.

While she lived, Missy the poodle was a source of joy mainly to Michael Gonzales and Krystal Hernandez, along with the couple’s friends and family. But since her death during a traffic stop Aug. 5, the tri-color teacup has achieved immortality in cyberspace.

The case has drawn out pet lovers from coast to coast who have flooded voice and e-mail boxes at this newspaper, other media outlets, police headquarters and city hall.

It’s also drawn out those who, for whatever reason, seem to dislike police.

The reaction has taken the town by storm, right down to the man in the middle of it, the one seen on police videos as pleading with Officer Paul Stephens to let him get emergency medical attention for the ailing pooch.

“I was thinking there would be more comments against my position, but I’ve been surprised at how many people are against the cop’s behavior and whatnot,” Gonzales said by phone on Wednesday from a relative’s home in the Rio Grande Valley.

“I’ve been pretty amazed with the comments that I’ve been reading, especially from other Web pages, law offices and people that are ex-law enforcement.”

Within Texas, the Record has heard from residents of Houston, Austin, Fort Worth and Mason, as well as from people who live right here in Hays County. Out of state comments have arrived from North Carolina, Florida, Washington State, New Hampshire, Oregon, California and Virginia. And of course, there’s been a spate of “anonymous,” letters and listings on sites like Craigslist.

At least one Web site urges visitors to boycott San Marcos as a whole and at least one attorney offered his professional services for free, if Gonzales and Hernandez were to pursue a civil case against Stephens.

Most insist that the reprimand and counseling ordered by Police Chief Howard Williams are insufficient; many suggested Stephens be ordered to undergo community service at the city’s animal shelter. Others simply call for him to be fired from the force.

Still others have pointed out that police highly value their K-9 units, and that penalties can range higher for harming a police dog than assaulting a family member.

The more balanced messages acknowledge that Stephens acted correctly in pulling the couple over; noting that Gonzales, who admits he was speeding, could have killed people on his late-night rush to an all-hours veterinary clinic in New Braunfels.

“It’s taken on a life of its own,” said Houston attorney Steven Halpert, who initially heard of the case through a dog rescue organization. “I was just blown away” by the number of e-mails that followed, Halpert added.

Police have since dismissed the ticket Stephens wrote that night.

Williams acknowledged the incident was not his department’s “finest hour,” but still believes Stephens can have a long a productive career in law enforcement.