A 19-year-old man was sentenced to 25-years in prison for killing a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office police dog and kidnapping two women at gunpoint in September 2018.
According to police, Jhamal Paskel, who was 17 at the time, carjacked two women at a gas station in September 2018 and then made one of them drive as he held her at gunpoint.
Since the car had an OnStar system, police tracked the vehicle to Interstate 10 near Cecil Commerce Parkway, where they had OnStar shut off the engine.
Paskel jumped out of the car and ran into the woods when Officer Herrera released K-9 Fang who was in pursuit when he shot and killed the dog.
He was eventually taken captured and taken into custody.
Paskel, who pleaded guilty to felony charges including killing a police dog, armed carjacking and two counts of kidnapping, was sentenced to 25 years in prison followed by 10 years probation.
The judge ordered Paskel to pay $8,000 restitution to the Sheriff’s Office, along with $518 in court fees.
K-9 Officer Matt Herrera said, “I heard two gunshots back to back followed by a third”.
“In between two and three, I heard Fang yelp, and soon as I came over the embankment, I kind of saw him coming to rest after falling and being shot,” Herrera recounted to News4Jax on Tuesday.
Herrera added, “This animal, I spent more time with than my family. He was with me when I was with my family, but he was also with me when I was not with my family”.
“So, it’s without a doubt, you get a humongous bond with this animals, all handlers feel this way”.
Paskel’s mother said her son has struggled with mental illness, but acknowledged that’s no excuse for what happened.
She said he has taken steps to getting back on the right path, like obtaining his diploma.
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