April 2010 CT
A 22-year-old Connecticut man accused of causing a car crash in April that took the life of a 70-year-old man is blaming the accident on his dog. In a strange turn of events, police say Taplinger Saturday reported that his dog jumped into his lap causing him to lose control of the car.
Police say Brian Taplinger turned himself in over the weekend and was released on $10,000 bond.
Taplinger told police that his Staffordshire terrier mix was in the front passenger seat and jumped into his lap, causing him to lose control and collide head-on with a car driven by Geoffrey Reynolds of Westport on April 29. Taplinger was charged with negligent homicide with a motor vehicle.
Reynolds suffered severe leg injuries and died on May 9. His dog was also hurt and had to be euthanized.

February 2010 CA
The family's beloved dog, Rizzo, a 3 year old Yorkshire Terrier was snatched by a man as its owners were being rescued from a car wreck, according to authorities.
While driving her 2 year old son and their 3 year old pet Yorkshire Terrier named Rizzo, a 24 year old woman struck a center divider, causing the car to flip upside down, said sheriff's Sgt. Dave Lelevier.
As paramedics worked to extricate the woman and her child, the frightened dog escaped through a broken window and ran off, Lelevier said.

July 2009
Ella the Rottweiler was thrown from her owner's car when it flipped over and landed on the side of the road. First responders did not know Ella was in the car at the time of the accident nor did they look for her; they were tending to her family instead. Almost 2 weeks passed before Kathy Wilkes-Myers found the dog at the site of the crash. Ella was lucky.