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Man Arrested After Throwing Chihuahua Off Balcony, Pointing Gun at Person Inside Motel 6

Officers and a SWAT team surrounded the Motel 6 area in Springtown.

Officers have arrested a 39-year-old man after he reportedly hurled a Chihuahua off a balcony and pointed a gun at a person inside the Springtown Motel 6, officials said.

At around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, police received a call reporting a confrontation between two guests at the motel and one guest had pointed a gun at the other guest, police said.

Officers arrived on scene and spoke to one guest who was determined to be the victim. Here's further details from :

The victim stated that he had observed the suspect, Michael Hamby  throw a small dog from a second floor balcony. The dog had landed on the ground below. The victim confronted Hamby about his throwing the dog. Hamby and the victim got into a verbal argument and the motel clerk intervened to separate the two and get them to go back to their rooms. A short time later the victim heard a knock at his door, and when he opened it, Hamby was standing at the door and pointed a gun at him. Hamby then fled the area.

The East Bay Tactical Team — a SWAT unit shared by Livermore and Pleasanton police — was called to the scene due to the gun being involved and Livermore police's prior history with Hamby, officials said. The tactical unit surrounded and evacuated motel rooms, as well as nearby businesses, police said.

In addition, the nearby 7-11 store and daycare on Lassen Road were temporarily placed on lockdown during the response.

SWAT team members were able to make entry to Hamby’s motel room and he was not inside. Hamby was later located in the nearby area and taken into custody at about 7:20 a.m.

Joseph Klvarik stayed overnight in his RV at the Livermore-Pleasanton Elks Lodge parking lot near the Motel 6. He told Livermore Patch that at around 4 a.m. police started using a PA system.

"They were telling someone to come out with their hands up," Klvarik said, who is traveling to South Dakota from Arizona.

At this time the victim is not participating in prosecution of Hamby, police said.

Hamby was arrested for a violation of 597 PC, animal cruelty which is a felony, police said. He will be booked at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin.

More updates provided by police:

Officers were unable to locate the gun Hamby used in this incident. The dog that was thrown from the balcony was located and found to be uninjured.

Hamby’s prior history with LPD includes an incident on 4/27/12 where he was arrested for assault, child endangerment, and possession of an illegal firearm.   

Sandra May 16, 2012 at 03:54 pm
I went by at 6:45 am and was surprised to see all the officers behind their cars with guns drawn! They had the street up to the Kindercare closed off but not Bluebell, Would of thought with guns drawn that that busy street would of been blocked also. Mike I believe Kindercare open's about 6 am. Went back by around 8 am and all was cleared out. Thank you to the officers of Livermo
Mama Tex May 16, 2012 at 03:55 pm
Any reports on how the dog is? I hope he is ok!
Scanner guy May 16, 2012 at 03:55 pm
Motel 6 is on the scanner almost daily, it's a magnet for dirtbags.
Sandra May 16, 2012 at 03:58 pm
Mama Tex at the bottom of the article it says,... The dog that was thrown from the balcony was located and found to be uninjured.
I agree Guy!
Local May 16, 2012 at 04:15 pm
Wow, what a pathetic loser. I hope he gets the maximum penalty for that crap. Poor dog, it was probably barking like crazy so he chucked it off the balcony. I've fantasized about doing that to my neighbor's stupid little yappy effin' dog, but I'd never really do anything to hurt an innocent (yet annoying) animal.
Robert May 16, 2012 at 04:16 pm
Hi Kris-I just saw the news report about all the commotion from Motel 6....and it looks like you've already got the details covered.
Robert May 16, 2012 at 04:23 pm
The suspect just wanted to see if chihuahuas could fly is as that was happening at Motel 6. FYI chihuahuas canNOT fly. LMAO
Vel May 16, 2012 at 04:30 pm
Which crime gets more attention or more possible jail time, "Hamby’s prior history with LPD includes an incident on 4/27/12 where he was arrested for assault, child endangerment, and possession of an illegal firearm." or animal abuse? What does it take to get people like this off the streets? Just saying...
Jane Doel May 16, 2012 at 05:09 pm
Sounds like a great guy!
Mama Tex May 16, 2012 at 05:21 pm
Thanks, I missed that! I can't believe there were no injuries at all....I hope a vet checked the dog out! He could have internal bleeding or other injuries not visible from the outside.
unclehomerr... May 16, 2012 at 05:49 pm
Riglht. That's 3 weeks ago. Why is he not still in jail? If bailed out.. forfeit bail and keep in jail. Illegal firearm suggests he's already a felon. Bury him!!
LeliaVollmer May 16, 2012 at 06:17 pm
Kathleen, I agree! I used to stay at Motel 6 because they would allow my dog, and they were inexpensive, but the last couple times I was there, it was horrendous! I can promise you there was a crank queen selling out of her room on the corner of the building. Twice I pleaded with her and her customers to be quiet so I could sleep. Once I was approached by someone looking for pain meds! What? I look like a dealer, me, a middle aged, grey-haired, fat lady??? I don't stay there anymore.
Luanne May 16, 2012 at 06:28 pm
I searched his name and, if it's the same person, he just left the Marines last month. Listed are his various tours, and medals received during his 20-plus year career in the service. I am guessing Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome led to his actions.
Vel May 17, 2012 at 12:55 am
You could be on to something Luanne.
Michael Delfino May 17, 2012 at 02:56 am
I also live in Springtown (Hollyhock), and while the DoubleTree is a nice hotel, the Motel 6 and the Springtown Inn are absolute dumps that attract nothing but addicts, prostitutes, and guys paying cheap with cash so they can cheat on their wives (seriously, out of curiosity I drove through the parking lot once, lots of Livermore/Dublin license plate frames. One or two, sure, maybe having some work done on the house, but not THAT many).
Legally, police can't "do a sweep" of a hotel. You need to have probable cause to stop people, and you just can't randomly start searching hotel rooms. A more realistic solution is to have their business licenses get revoked or other civic penalties. Bulldoze those hotels and start over. I'll be sending an e-mail to our council members shortly. I encourage you to do the same...
Don May 17, 2012 at 11:48 am
The report stated the dog was uninjured.
J D May 17, 2012 at 04:15 pm
I agree with you - do send the letter!
brian hamby May 17, 2012 at 04:18 pm
she is good my dad didnt throw no dog the victim made it up
brian hamby May 17, 2012 at 04:28 pm
shut up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Kristofer Noceda (Editor) May 17, 2012 at 06:02 pm
@brian hamby please resubmit your comment without the profanity. Thanks
Tahoe22 May 18, 2012 at 06:06 am
You people are so full of it. Go drive through the lot at this Motel 6-it is a long, long ways from being a "ghetto motel". Granted, it's cheap & in true Motel 6 style, somewhat dumpy, but a lot of travelers are just looking for a place to crash for the night & don't feel like dropping $150+ a night to do so. I happen to have spent the last few nights there while my new place in Walnut Creek is being prepped. I have a little news flash for you-it's Livermore, not Beverly Hills-so get over yourselves.
william May 18, 2012 at 12:58 pm
I have to agree with Tahoe 22 Livermore is a nice town but not only is it not like Beverly Hills or Carmel even though some of the residents think that it is better than those areas!
Tahoe22 May 18, 2012 at 03:13 pm
Here's an interesting comment left by someone elsewhere. This doesn't exactly seem far fetched.
"sometimes the cops get it wrong. the suspect was staying at the Motel 6 with his wife and three small dogs. The two argued over who knows what and the smallest of the dogs ran out of the room and through the verticle bars of the balcony and landed in a grassy area below the room. the dog was not injured. The person in the room next to them came out and confronted them about their arguing and barking dogs to which the suspect put his hand behind his back leading the guest to believe he had a gun. the guest called the police. at that time, the suspect left. the cops arrived and found him not to be there after searching the room. he was found in a field near the hotel. no gun was ever found nor seen. he was transported to the local hospital for observation and was ordered to stay for 48 hours at John George, a facility for mental observation. The police has no hold on him and the doctors stated it was a huge misunderstanding. (cont)
Tahoe22 May 18, 2012 at 03:14 pm
"He is a free man after going through the observation period and he has an appointment with the doctors at the Veteran's Administration hospital in Livermore to adjust his medication that he is presently taking due to a head injury while serving in Iraq. He is a retired marine, having served 22 years. Two tours of Iraq, One tour of Afganistan. He won the purple heart and a bronze star with combat valor (earned for saving a platoon of marines from an Iraqi crossfire). He is having a hard time transitioning from the military to the civilian lifestyle. I have done a lot of research concerning this case in order to better understand the article. maybe some of you should as well."
william May 18, 2012 at 04:07 pm
great going Tahoe 22 iback the vets 100% but some times the forget something and they get in trouble
Tahoe22 May 18, 2012 at 04:18 pm
William, I just copied a comment left by someone at a SF blog site that I got an automated email about. I have no idea if anything in the quote is true, but it sure seems to fit. The cops did what they had to do based upon what they were told, and they also knew who they were dealing with due to previous recent contact with him. This had the potential to end up much, much worse than it did. Hopefully they can get him the help that he needs. This is an all too common story when people are tossed back into society after a few tours in hell.
Scott T May 18, 2012 at 04:20 pm
I agree. Being a legal firearms owner, I have a real problem with illegal firearms possession.. Major issue in my book. And don’t even get me started on the child endangerment!
Styler May 18, 2012 at 04:39 pm
@ Brian Hamby - it is best that you becareful of how you react to people's posts. Talking negative will only reflect badly on your dad, you know what you know, don't let other people's opinions bother you.
This man has obviously served for our country, and unless you were also in Iraq or Afghanistan, you do not know what this man went through. If it is true that he threw the dog and pulled a gun, then yes, Mr. Hamby needs help, as many other vets do after serving in war and will hopefully know that what he done was wrong. If the quote provided Tahoe22 is true, then I hope that Mr. Hamby does not have to deal with any consuquences from this obvious mistaken act by the guest next door. This does not mean that the guest was wrong for calling this in, as he/she also did not know 100% what happened and had to do what was right but the dog and himself. I hope that Mr. Hamby gets the help that he needs, and I thank him for fighting for my freedom.
Nathan21 May 22, 2012 at 09:38 pm
All to often Vets are misunderstood and treated badly. This type of stuff is very sad. I hope one day we will be able to give our vets the help and guidance they need! Mr. Hamby I hope everything works out for you. THANK YOU for all you have sacrificed to this great country
mike January 27, 2013 at 11:26 am
Tats f*ked up throwin tat dog, mayb we should throw tat guy from the motel

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