BOONE, Iowa — A former deputy sheriff and K-9 handler in the Boone County Sheriff’s office was arrested Tuesday in connection with the September 2022 death of K-9 Deputy Bear.
Dallas Nash Wingate, 50, of 1831 Opal Lane, Madrid, was charged with injury or interference of a police dog service.
The Boone County Sheriff’s office and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) started an investigation on Sept. 2, 2022, after Deputy Bear was found dead inside Wingate’s K-9-equipped police vehicle.
The investigation showed that Wingate placed Bear inside his enclosed vehicle on the evening of Sept. 1, nearly 22 hours before Wingate discovered the dead dog.
Wingate is held in the Story County Jail. The case is being prosecuted in Story County in order to avoid a conflict of interest within the Boone County Attorney’s office.
*A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
