(Image Source: The Daily Mail)

BY JENNIFER LONG

A California man is stunned by a new leash law in a national park – literally. KCBS explains.

“The man who was tasered by a ranger with the national service has been identified as Gary Hesterberg of Montara. The confrontation apparently began because Hesterberg had one of his dogs off leash.”

The park was privately owned until last December and residents say they were used to walking their dogs off leash there. The Belmont Patch has a statement from the Golden Gate National Recreation area saying the incident …

“...began as a ‘routine educational contact’ on the rules regarding dog walking but grew into a more serious situation when the dog walker provided false information to the ranger and refused the ranger's repeated orders to remain at the scene while his identity was confirmed.”

The ranger then stunned Hesterberg in the back as he walked away. But was a Taser stun gun an appropriate use of force in the incident? Founder of the local Montara Dog Blog says …

"There is total outrage about this. Everyone thinks this is a total excessive use of force … I hope this guy hires an attorney because I think he's got a strong case.”

And The Daily Mail breaks down the powers of a park ranger.

“Any park ranger is considered a peace officer just like any police officer, corrections officer or officer of any court with full law enforcement powers. … Enforcement Rangers suffer the most number of felonious assaults, and the highest number of homicides of all federal law enforcement officers.”

A writer for Examiner concludes both parties were probably at fault.

“Walking two small dogs off leash hardly equates with someone walking up a park trail with a loaded firearm, but how well one passes the ‘personality test’ if approached by a ranger could make a lot of difference in the long run. … in San Francisco, both parties failed the test.”

The ranger remains on duty while the National Park Service conducts an investigation.