Janice Jones is 53 years old and lives in Barstow, California, according to California Highway Patrol press liaison Tammy Rye.
Rye said Jones was eating pork chops in the back of her motor home, 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 said. “The bullet hit two inches from the gas tank.”
Jones’ dog was placed in the care of the Huntington Beach Animal Control officers.
"Jones was transported to Huntington Beach Hospital via ambulance and later was transported to Irvine Medical Center," Rye said.
Jim Washington, a spokesperson for Huntington Beach Hospital, established Jones was treated at the hospital but gave no additional information.
"Jones was shot in the right leg around 10 p.m. Wednesday," Rye said.
The dog seemed to be underfed, 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 said.
Ngo indicated that her office would try to file animal abuse charges against Jones.
"Jones doesn’t have a permit for the gun," Rye said.
Rye said officers cited Jones for expired plates and the county’s district attorney’s office was considering whether to charge her for the gun accident.
