News, Union Grove

Deputy dog helps officer take a bite out of crime

One of the Racine County Sheriff’s Department dogs should be getting partial credit in an arrest on Saturday.

Cody Nicoletti, 30, of Kansasville, remained in Racine County Jail Monday after he allegedly approached and then assaulted a deputy around 2:30 a.m. Saturday.

Nicoletti was charged Monday in Racine County Circuit Court with a felony charge of battery to a police officer and misdemeanor resisting an officer. His bail was set at $5,300.

According to the criminal complaint, as well as a press release from the Racine County Sheriff’s Department, a deputy was monitoring traffic on Durand Avenue early Saturday morning.

While he was watching traffic coming from the east, the K-9 unit Nox started barking. The deputy reportedly saw Nicoletti walking very fast and coming around to the driver’s side, baring and clenching his teeth.

The deputy got out of the car and tried to talk to Nicoletti, who was termed “hostile” in the press release. He swore multiple times and had what was termed as “a crazy look in his eyes,” the complaint contends.

After not being able to get Nicoletti to identify himself, the deputy asked him to place his hands on the hood of the squad car. At that point, while searching for weapons, the deputy was allegedly pushed backward by Nicoletti.

The deputy slipped on ice and fell, but still managed to grab Nicoletti by the ankle. Nicoletti still didn’t cooperate, and, by then, Nox had gotten out of the vehicle. The dog engaged in what was termed in the complaint as “handler protection” by biting Nicoletti on the left wrist.

Even after both men ended up on the ground, Nicoletti allegedly continued to resist the deputy. Once he was in custody, the deputy took him to St. Mary’s Hospital in Racine for medical treatment, due to what the deputy thought was some level of intoxication. No blood samples ended up being taken, according to the sheriff’s department, and there will be no charges along those lines.

According to the complaint, Nicoletti said he approached the squad due to a warrant out for his arrest, but his statements made little sense after that.

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