City man sues police for K-9 bite

By PAULA REED WARD
TribLiveA

McKeesport man is suing Homestead police after he said he was attacked by their police dog outside Eon Bar & Grill last year and then targeted with a trumped-up arrest.

Bryant Maurice Boyd Jr. filed the lawsuit in federal court on Feb. 28. In addition to the police department, it names as defendants Homestead Borough, Officer Darnell Coles, who was the K-9 handler, and Eon.

The lawsuit includes claims for unconstitutional seizure and arrest, excessive force, malicious prosecution, assault and battery and negligence.

It asserts that Eon did not have adequate security, that fights have occurred there in the past, and that Homestead police failed to adequately train its officer in K-9 use and deployment.

Borough Manager Amanda Loutitt said Thursday she could not comment on pending litigation.

She noted, however, that Coles resigned from the department in late 2025 and now works as a police officer in Munhall.

A message left with Eon on Thursday was not immediately returned.

According to the complaint, around midnight on March 16, Boyd was outside of the bar on East 8th Avenue when he was attacked by a police dog and arrested.

At the time, the lawsuit said, Boyd, 40, was on the sidewalk waiting for his girlfriend after a fight had broken out in the bar. While the crowd waited to see if they would be permitted back in, the lawsuit said, at least three Homestead officers arrived.

Boyd was standing near the bar entrance at the time, the lawsuit said.

A short time later, the complaint continued, Coles opened the rear door of his vehicle and allowed his K-9, Bane, out “to break up the crowd.”

The dog was leashed, the lawsuit said.

“At that time, without justification, plaintiff was attacked, bitten and held onto by the police K-9 in the control of Officer Coles,” the complaint said. “K-9 Officer Bane(’s) teeth sunk and clenched into his torso for multiple seconds.”

Boyd, who asked for medical attention, was detained and questioned by police officers, then taken to UPMC McKeesport for treatment.

He was charged with obstruction, failure to disperse and disorderly conduct.

According to the lawsuit, Cole’s criminal complaint charging Boyd contained misstatements and did not establish probable cause.

Additionally, the lawsuit alleges video from the incident shows Boyd did not commit any crime, and there was no probable cause to charge him.

The Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office dropped all charges on Sept. 15.

Boyd said he has permanent nerve damage, pain, numbing and scarring from the attack.

He is seeking monetary damages.