Barnegat Woman Gets $27.5K Settlement For K-9 Attack: Report

BARNEGAT, NJ — A Barnegat woman attacked by a police dog during her 2014 arrest received a $27,500 settlement, according to the Asbury Park Press. Wendy Tucker reached the agreement in October after filing an excessive-force lawsuit against Tuckerton and Barnegat police.

The lawsuit stems from a Jan. 29, 2014 incident when a Tuckerton police K-9 attacked Tucker. Tuckerton police Cpl. Justin Cherry, the dog's handler, was acquitted in May of misconduct charges.

But the legal battle continued with a federal excessive-force lawsuit. Tuckerton was required to pay $17,500, with Barnegat paying the remaining $10,000, according to the Asbury Park Press.

Tuckerton police Cpl. Justin Cherry and another Tuckerton officer were called to a home in Tuckerton where Tucker was allegedly an unwelcome guest, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said in 2015.

Tucker agreed to leave, but police learned she drove to Tuckerton with a suspended license, the OCPO said. Tucker agreed to take a bus home, but Cherry saw her driving her vehicle from the area, according to authorities.

Cherry attempted to stop Tucker's vehicle, but she refused to do so, the OCPO said. Police from neighboring communities were alerted. She drove to Barnegat, where Barnegat police officers stopped her.

The Tuckerton officer followed Tucker to her vehicle and allowed his K-9 to attack her during her arrest, the OCPO said.

In the acquittal, the judge said it was clear from the dash-camera that Tucker resisted arrest, and that the two Barnegat cops trying to take her into custody didn't have her under control when the dog was released on her.

Tucker pleaded guilty in 2016 to eluding police. She spent five days in jail and served two years on probation.

Read the Asbury Park Press story.

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