Janice Jones is 53 years old and lives in Barstow,
California, according to California Highway Patrol press liaison Tammy Rye.
Jones’ dog, a Pomeranian named Tombo, was placed in
the care of the Huntington Beach Animal Control officers. The dog seemed
to be malnourished, according to Janet Ngo, one of the animal control officers,
and had fresh cigarette burns on its forehead.
“It could have done with a little less abuse and a
few more of those pork chops,” Ngo says.
"Jones was eating pork chops in the back of
her motor home," Rye said, which was parked on Beach Boulevard near
Highway 1, when her dog knocked her 9 mm handgun off a seat.
The weapon discharged when it hit the floor, and
the bullet passed through Jones; leg and through the side of the vehicle,
according to Rye.
“It could have been worse,” Rye says. “The bullet
hit two inches from the gas tank.”
Jones was shot in the right leg around 10 p.m.
Wednesday, Rye said.
"Jones was transported to Huntington Beach
Hospital via ambulance and later was transported to Irvine Medical Center, Rye
says."
Rye said officers cited Jones for expired plates
and the county’s district attorney’s office was considering whether to charge
her in relation to the gun accident.
"Jones didn’t even have a permit for the
gun," Rye said.
Ngo indicated that her office would explore filing animal abuse charges
against Jones.
