Man held 
in brutal 
assault on dog

---

Staff

By Paul Shockley
Friday, September 14, 2012

A Grand Junction man was jailed on allegations he repeatedly beat and kicked his dog Thursday night in front of his home, while threatening to kill the neighbors who watched it all.

Nathan David Bionaz, 31, 490 Harris Road, was being held Friday at the Mesa County Jail on $30,000 bond after his arrest on suspicion of aggravated cruelty to animals, resisting arrest, obstructing a peace officer and intimidating a witness or victim.

Grand Junction police officers were called to Bionaz’s home after witnesses saw him repeatedly kicking his dog in the ribs, head and legs, according to an arrest affidavit. The affidavit didn’t indicate what kind of dog it was.

“They also observed Nathan throwing beer cans at the dog and at one point Nathan was seen to pick up a large rock which he threw at the dog, hitting it in the head,” the affidavit said. “They observed Nathan put a leash on the dog and continue to kick it while leashed.”

The same witnesses said Bionaz knocked the dog on its side when it tried to get up, or kicked it when it lifted its head.

The dog managed to run away but Bionaz chased him down. An officer who was pulling up to the scene saw Bionaz holding the dog, “limp and lifeless” in his arms, the affidavit said.

Bionaz allegedly ignored an initial command to put the dog down, then did so before the officer ordered him to move away from it, the affidavit said.

“At this command the male looked at me with an angry expression on his face and said, ‘What did you call my dog?’” the affidavit said. “The male’s lips curled up in a snarl-like expression and he stated, ‘You called him an ‘it.’ “

“The male stood up and advanced on me with his fists clenched and stated he did not have to do what I said because it was his dog and he had not done anything wrong,” the affidavit said.

Bionaz stopped when a Taser was pointed at his chest, the affidavit said.

He allegedly resisted efforts to be handcuffed and was overheard yelling at neighbors “better not (expletive) snitch,” while threatening to kill several people as he slammed his head against the back-seat interior of a patrol car, the affidavit said.

Mesa County Animal Services took custody of the dog Thursday night, police spokeswoman Kate Porras said, The dog was still alive as of Friday, she said.