Officer threatened with metal pipe, shoots dog in Mastic Beach, police say

Suffolk County police arrested a Mastic Beach man and shot his dog Wednesday after the man allegedly threatened a police officer.

Police alleged that Anthony Johnson, 58, refused to stop his 2003 Chevy Tahoe when an officer tried to pull him over as he drove westbound on Wavecrest Drive in Mastic Beach. 

Police said Johnson's driver’s license had been suspended 35 times.

Police said the officer followed Johnson to his home on Woodland Drive and Johnson then ignored the officer's directions after getting out of the SUV. Police said Johnson threatened the officer with a metal pipe and then sicced his dog — a pitbull mix — on the officer, according to a news release. The officer shot and wounded the dog as it charged, police said.

Police charged Johnson with second-degree menacing, second-degree obstruction of governmental administration, resisting arrest and a felony account of aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Johnson was held overnight at the police station and is expected to be arraigned Thursday in First District Court in Central Islip.