The dirty fucker!

RIVERSIDE, Calif.—A former Los Angeles County assistant fire chief who was charged with a felony after hitting a dog with a rock has sued the animal's owners, his attorney said Thursday.

Glynn Johnson, 54, has pleaded not guilty to felony animal cruelty stemming from his Nov. 3 clash with Karley, a 6-month-old German shepherd mix that was euthanized due to its injuries.

Johnson's lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Riverside County Superior Court, claims negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress. He is seeking unspecified damages from the owners.

According to Johnson's attorney, John E. Sweeney, the dog had gotten loose and was on Johnson's property when the fire official took it by the collar and started walking it back to the home of its owners, Jeff and Shelley Toole.

"When the dog saw he was being led back to his own house, he started thrashing about," Sweeney said. "He got Glynn Johnson's thumb in his mouth and nearly tore the tip off."

Sweeney said Johnson picked up a rock and hit the dog.

"He only hit him twice, as soon as the dog was hit a couple of times, he let go and ran away," Sweeney said.

Sweeney said his client's thumb was scarred and appeared to have permanent nerve damage.

A message left with Shelley Toole was not immediately returned, though Karley's owners depict events differently.

Their Web site, justice4karley.com, displays a TV news story that says Johnson beat the animal without it first attacking him.

The Web site shows pictures of a playful looking puppy, but Sweeney said the dog was big enough to inflict serious damage.

"This was a mature dog with adult dog teeth," he said. "We have a picture of the teeth, these are clearly not a puppy's teeth."

Sweeney said Johnson had a stellar, 31-year career at the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Because he was charged with a felony he was placed on administrative leave.

He decided to retire last month, a year or so earlier than he'd originally planned, in part because of the case.

"His life has been turned upside down," Sweeney said. "This was a man ready to retire with dignity ... and he goes out the back door of the Fire Department because of these allegations."

An online petition demanding felony animal charges be brought against Johnson received 14,000 responses.

Johnson faces four years in prison if convicted. He is free on $10,000 bail.

His lawsuit claims the Tooles should be held liable for the dog bite, and for causing emotional distress by pressing for the criminal charges.

I like how Sweeney says that Johnson had a "stellar career". Uh huh. Bull fucking shit. Anyone who beats a dog has NOT had a stellar career, or life. I bet you there are a lot of skeletons in Johnson's closet.

Oh... and...the *stellar* L.A. Assistant Fire Chief Johnson, says his lawyer ""He only hit him twice, as soon as the dog was hit a couple of times, he let go and ran away," Sweeney said."

What a man.

What a fucking loser. Beat a 6 month old dog to death. Have you all seen a photo of this loser? He is a hulking guy....and a 6 month old pupper had him???