St. Pete man accused of punching police dog, trying to cause unrest

ST. PETERSBURG — A 29-year-old was arrested Tuesday morning after police said he tried to incite gas station customers to cause “civil unrest,” then fought with officers — and punched a police dog.

Jordan Mosby faces felony charges of inciting a riot and three counts of battery on law enforcement officers and a misdemeanor charge of committing an offense against a police dog.

Police were called to two gas stations on the corners of 18th Avenue S and 34th Street S at about 7:30 a.m. to investigate a report of a man causing a disturbance. Mosby entered the gas stations and tried, but failed, to get other customers to join him in causing unrest, St. Petersburg police said. However, police officials did not provide any details about how Mosby tried to do this.

Mosby threw items at the windows and managed to pick up and throw a newspaper stand and throw it at the window of the Mobil gas station at 1750 34th St. S, police said, when the other customers failed to join him.

When officers tried to arrest him, police said Mosby ran across the street and fought with them. He assaulted a police dog and the dog’s handler, officials said, before several officers were able to handcuff him.

Mosby was booked into the Pinellas County jail where he was being held without bail on Wednesday.