Deputies: Man arrested after killing dog, injuring woman in Port Charlotte

Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting that killed a dog in Port Charlotte Tuesday night.

According to CCSO, deputies first responded around 10 p.m. to a call about a domestic dispute at a home near Tamarind Street and Steele Avenue off Collingswood Boulevard.

Investigators discovered a black Labrador retriever named Gonzo had been shot in its hindquarters, and Animal Control responded to the scene to provide veterinary care. Gonzo later died of his injury after three hours of surgery.

The victim who called deputies reported that Allen Richard Dryzmala, 55, had struck her on the back of the head with a pistol after drinking all day and that she was bleeding heavily. Deputies contacted Dryzmala by phone after the victim reported that several firearms were inside the house.

Dryzmala was reluctant to exit the house for fear of being arrested and made threats against deputies, who reported that he threatened to “smoke” them on the front steps and was heard racking his handgun. He eventually surrendered to law enforcement. Investigators say Dryzmala admitted to shooting the dog for biting him on the face, and to owning weapons despite a felony conviction from 2012.

He is now in custody, facing charges of animal cruelty, aggravated battery using a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm by a Florida convicted felon, and discharging a firearm in an occupied residence.