Man holds boy over dog after boy angers man

Lancaster police were looking for a man who is accused of holding a 5-year-old over a pit bull after the child made him angry.

The dog sat quietly this afternoon, but the little boy who got too close still asks his mother, “Is that going to happen again?"

He also asks about Michael Chavis, the man who allegedly held him over the dog.

“Is he going to jail?” he asks.

Lancaster police arrested Chavis Wednesday on assault and battery charges.

“This is a very dangerous situation to put that child in,” said Capt. Scott Grant.

Grant said the incident happened two weeks ago when Chavis parked his car on Hazel Steet near the boy's grandparent’s house.

Police said Chavis got angry because he said the boy got dirt on his car.

Some children cursed at Chavis, so he scooped up the 5-year-old and held him over the dog, Grant said.

The child often played with his grandparent's dog, but this time the dog reacted differently.

"The stimulus given to that animal would even cause a more calm type dog to react," Grant said.

The dog nipped the boy's sweater.

When the boy’s mother found out what happened, she went to police. 

Chavis is 22, and police said he has a criminal history.

When police arrested him Wednesday morning, he was already wanted on another assault and battery charge.