BARNSTABLE – A 32-year-old Yarmouth man was arraigned in Barnstable District Court on Tuesday on a charge of mistreating a police dog because he allegedly wouldn't let go of the dog's muzzle as police took him into custody.

K-9 Officer Michael Kramer was dispatched to Forest and Long Pond roads in South Yarmouth to search for William Prickett, who had outstanding warrants. Not finding him there, police officers, along with Kramer and his police dog Kosmo, then went to an address on Alewife Circle that had been listed on the warrants and found Prickett's bike at the rear of the unit, according to the police report.

The dog eventually tracked Prickett to a closet, where he was hiding under a pile of laundry, the report says. Kramer pulled Kosmo from the closet and the dog pulled Prickett with him, the report says.

"He had Prickett by the right hand and Prickett was tearing at Kosmo's muzzle," Kramer wrote in the report. One of the officers pried Prickett's fingers from the dog's upper muzzle. "Once he was no longer fighting the K-9, I directed Kosmo to release the subject," Kramer wrote. Prickett had puncture marks to his shoulder, forearm and hand. He was taken to Cape Cod Hospital for treatment.

Prickett was charged with resisting arrest and mistreating a police dog. The court file did not specify what the warrant charges were.