DIXFIELD – A 45-year-old Dixfield woman was arrested and charged with assaulting a police officer early Monday evening after an officer shot and killed her dog. The incident occurred when a pit bull named Lady allegedly lunged at two police officers.

The situation began to unfold around 6 p.m. when the Rumford Police Department asked the Dixfield Police Department to visit Elizabeth F. Crockett, at 9 Norton Road. Dixfield Police Chief Richard Pickett said his department was asked to warn Crockett not to make unnecessary or harassing calls to the Rumford Police Department. Pickett said the calls contained “lewd and lascivious” comments.

According to the Dixfield chief, officer Jeff Howe was assigned to the matter but it was decided an additional officer from Mexico would accompany him because of the alleged nature of the comments in Crockett’s phone calls. The assignment came at a change of shift for Mexico, so both Mexico officers Jeff Stoddard and Ed Broughton went along, Pickett explained.

Pickett said when the officers approached the house, Crockett appeared in an entranceway with a pit bull. They spoke with her, then turned to leave.

Crockett followed the officers down the driveway, holding the dog by a leash, Pickett said, and while still on the leash, the dog lunged at Broughton. Crockett let the dog go, according to Pickett, and it leaped at Stoddard. The dog was shot before it could harm any of the officers, he said.

Pickett said the woman then attacked Howe.

Crockett tells a different story.

She admits calling Rumford police and telling them that the department was going to be investigated by the Sun Journal for sexually harassing her during her recent arrest on charges of operating under the influence. She admitted making up that claim.

But, Crockett said from her home Tuesday night, when the officers came to her home Monday, “They came to my door with their guns drawn. That was threatening to me. I was scared, so scared.”

Crockett said she exchanged words with four officers – three men and a woman, she said – and watched as they stopped by her car on their way off the property. Crockett said she took her dog, Lady, whom she describes as about 50 pounds and “protective,” by the collar and walked toward the officers to ask them if they were leaving.

“One of them said something smart, and I turned to go into the house to call the Wilton police, to see if they could help me.” That’s when, she said, Lady’s collar twisted, “ripped” and broke, and the dog ran toward the officers.

Crockett maintained the dog jumped on one of the officers, but did not hurt any of them. And then, she said, they “shot her, and shot her, and shot her. She was running away when they shot her,” she said.

Crockett said she ran toward the dog, at first trying to get between the animal and the officers, and then to try to comfort the dying animal, when the officers piled on top of her.

“I may have hit someone flailing to get to the dog,” she said, but denied assaulting anyone.

“I admit to calling them,” she said, “and I know I made them mad, but does that justify them sending four officers to my house with their guns drawn? It was like a George Orwell book.”

Pickett said the officers did not draw their guns until the dog lunged at them.

Crockett was booked at the Oxford County Jail, then was released on $500 cash bail.

Pickett said the case is expected to go to the grand jury next week.

“You can’t set dogs on police officers, it can’t be done,” said Pickett.

Sun Journal news staffer Heather McCarthy contributed to this report.