News from today’s police briefing:¢ Officer bitten:A pit bull attacked a Lawrence Police Officer Friday night in the 300 block of Mississippi Street, according to a report. The officer, Warner Stumpenhaus, was called to the area about 8 p.m. because two pit bulls were running loose. He found the dogs, made contact with their 44-year-old owner, and they started to take the dogs around the back of the man’s home at 325 Miss. As they were walking around the home, a third dog appeared and lunged at Stumpenhaus. He raised his arm to defend himself and the dog bit him on the forearm, according to a report. When he was able to shake the dog off, the owner chased it down and put it inside the home. The owner was cited for charges including having an animal at large and no proof of vaccinations. The dog was quarantined. Stumpenhaus went to Lawrence Memorial Hospital for treatment.¢ More panhandling problems: Police arrested 30-year-old Joseph H. Richards of Lawrence late Sunday night on suspicion of threatening a person who gave him money near 10th and Mass. Streets downtown. The 31-year-old man told police he had given Richards $2, and that later in the night he saw him involved in an argument. He asked Richards if he had used the money to buy food. According to a report, Richards then told the man it was none of his business and “came toward him in an aggressive manner.” Officers arrested Richards on suspicion of assault, disorderly conduct and making a criminal threat. Last week, police arrested a different man for following and making a sexual threat toward a woman who had bought him a sandwich downtown.¢ Animal-cruelty report: Lawrence police are investigating a woman’s report that she came home Wednesday to her home in the 1200 block of West 21st Street and found that her roommate, a 22-year-old man, and a 24-year-old friend had placed the home’s pet lop-eared bunny, Melvin, in a plastic bag in an attempt to kill it. When that didn’t work, they tried to break its neck and cut it, according to a report. The rabbit was taken to the veterinarian but didn’t survive. The roommate’s explanation, according to a police report, was that he didn’t think he could care for the rabbit anymore, so he was going to eat it.The woman reported the incident to police on Friday as a case of animal cruelty. Police have spoken with the suspect over the phone, but as of this morning, no citations had been issued. Other crimes:¢ 1500 block of West Sixth St.: Lawrence police arrested three men, ages 19, 21 and 22, for throwing water balloons onto the road about 4:30 a.m. Saturday.¢ More than $14,000 was stolen in five incidents of embezzlement starting in November 2005 from Paul Davis Restoration, according to police reports.¢ 1900 W. 31st St.: Police arrested 35-year-old Christopher Belone on Saturday night after a domestic disturbance at Gaslight Village mobile-home park. His girlfriend told police that he dragged her out of bed, beat her and struck her in the face with a wooden stick.¢ 508 Elm St.: Someone stole $490 in cash from after-school program fees from a desk drawer in the office at Woodlawn School. It disappeared between 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to a report.¢ 1011 Vt.: Police arrested Lawrence resident Ray Welch, 22, early Sunday morning after an officer saw him sleeping naked about 6 a.m. between the building and air conditioner at Trinity Episcopal Church.¢ 1924 E. 1450 Rd.: Someone broke a padlock and chain from the gate of Shuck Implement Co. between July 22 and July 24 and stole a $6,000 lawn mower and $1,400 mower deck assembly, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. ¢ 700 block of Missouri St.: a 21-year-old Kansas University student told police he heard a noise at his home about 4 a.m. Saturday and woke up to find his door had been kicked in. He chased an unidentified white male away from the home. When officers arrived they found the home under renovation next door also had been burglarized, but nothing was stolen.¢ 2500 block of Century: a 45-year-old man told police someone stole his 2005 Ford F-150 truck valued at $28,000 between 2 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. Thursday.Injury accidents: ¢ A drunk driver struck another driver head-on after crossing over the center line early Sunday morning near Trail Rd. and Monterey Way, according to a report. Joseph R. Jalinsky, 23, was driving a 2005 Honda Civic north at 3:38 a.m. when he crossed the center line and struck a southbound Ford Windstar driven by Rebecca R. Murphy, 46, Lawrence. When officers arrived, Jalinsky tried to drive away, but an officer was able to stop him by reaching in the car and turning off the ignition, police said. Jalinsky was taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital with injuries and cited for violations including DUI, not having a driver’s license, and leaving the scene of an injury accident.¢ The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is investigating whether alcohol played a role in a wreck early Sunday morning on County Road 458 near County Road 1057, according to a report. James Greenfield, 18, Eudora, was driving east about 2:20 a.m. Sunday when he struck a bridge. He was taken by ambulance to Lawrence Memorial Hospital. -Contributed by [Eric Weslander.][1] [1]: www2.ljworld.com/staff/eric_weslander