Charges against accused tractor thief include biting K-9

A man accused of stealing a tractor before leading Denver police on a slow-speed chase through the city also is charged with biting and choking a police dog and stealing two other cars.

Denver District Attorney Beth McCann on Thursday filed 23 charges against 37-year-old Thomas Busch connected to the July 20 spree, including 10 felony level charges.

It’s not clear if Busch has an attorney.

The charges include three counts of aggravated motor vehicle theft, three counts of failure to report an accident and one count of cruelty to a certified police working dog.

Authorities say Busch stole a car, then a tow truck before taking the tractor from a city water department facility. A police squad car eventually rammed the tractor’s front end in downtown Denver, stopping it.