Charges possible in police K-9's hot car death

CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — Investigators say they're still collecting evidence in the case of a police K-9 that died in a hot squad car.

The whole case has hit the Cherokee County Marshal's Office very hard, as it is now forced to investigate a fellow cop whose K-9 died after he left him in the back seat of this hot squad car.%

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“It’s tough. There’s no easy way to handle it,” said Chief Marshal Ron Hunton. "The only thing I ask is that the public be patient. On the surface it appears to be an open and shut case, but it's not."

Lt. Daniel Peabody is on administrative leave from Cherokee County schools police after he left his K-9, Inka, in the back seat of his hot cruiser in his driveway for more than three hours, Hunton says.

Peabody has been an officer in metro Atlanta for nearly 26 years. He is highly trained and has an unblemished record.

"There was absolutely no intent on this police officer to do this to his dog,” Hunton said. “It was a horrible mistake.”

The chief said Peabody is devastated but cooperating.

"It's like a member of your family. These guys with these dogs, obviously, they become very attached to them and there's a bond created there,” Hunton said.

The Crown Victoria that Peabody was using that day was a loaner without the same kennel or alarm system as Peabody’s regular K-9 vehicle.

Hunton says he's looking into whether that violated the school Police Department's policy.

A necropsy confirmed Inka died from heat stroke, but the chief told Channel 2’s Aaron Diamant he still has more interviews to do before deciding whether to press animal cruelty charges.

"It is the toughest thing in law enforcement, because no matter what we do, someone's going to have an issue with it. The only thing we can do is do what's right,” Hunton said.

He says because there was no intent, any charge would be a misdemeanor, but if the evidence bears that out, “He, like anyone else, will face the consequence of it.”

Hunton says it could be early next week before a decision on charges will be made.

Diamant tried to contact Peabody but was unsuccessful.

Cox Media Group