Beloved dog of trucker shot on I-75 found safe, will be reunited with family

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Family members said that the beloved dog of a truck driver shot on I-75 Wednesday has been found safe after Channel 2 Action News shared her picture.

A spokesperson for Cobb police says Jason Matton, 42, of Massachusetts, was behind the wheel of a tractor-trailer when another driver opened fire just before 1 p.m. near Wade Green Road. Right now, police are working to determine if this was a case of road rage.

Matton was rushed to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital with life -threatening injuries, police confirmed.

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Matton’s rescue dog, Susy, was in the cab of the truck with him when he was shot and ran away into the woods.

Family said Matton rescued the dog from a truck stop and that she is his “road dog” and keeps him company while he travels.

Channel 2 immediately distributed Susy’s picture on our social media channels. The Facebook post was shared more than 10,000 times.

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Around 8:45 p.m., Channel 2 Action News viewer Sara Weinschenk alerted us via email that she had found Susie on I-75 in Bartow County. She shared pictures of the dog with Channel 2 and we contacted the driver’s family.

This morning, the driver’s sister-in-law confirmed that the dog Weinschenk found is, in fact, Susy.

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Channel 2 Action News spoke to Weinschenk, who said she spotted a dog running on the interstate about an hour after the shooting. She and several other drivers pulled over on the side of the road but one was trying to catch the dog.

“These people are just sitting in their cars, not out trying to get her or anything,” Weinschenks said. “Then she darts out into the interstate!”

Weinschenck says she didn’t think twice about chasing after her.

“There’s so much negativity and so much evil and so much bad stuff going on in the world right now,” she said. “We need more people who are willing to just go you know ‘what the heck! I’m not going to let this dog get hit!’”

Weinschenk said that at the time, she hadn’t heard about the missing dog, so she took her to the vet to get checked out and then took her home.

A neighbor alerted her to Channel 2′s Facebook post about a missing pup.

“She said, ‘Sarah, oh my God! That’s the dog,’” Weinschenk said.

As of now, Susy is still in Weinschenk’s care and detectives are working on reuniting her with her family. The family has agreed to take care of her until Matton is able to make arrangements to get her.

Weinschenk said that in the meantime, Susy is in good hands, snuggling in bed with her children and getting pampered.

“She’s in great health. She’s had a spoiled rotten almost 24 hours at my house,” Weinschenk said. “She is loved and she is very well taken care of. She is in great shape and I am more than ecstatic to meet them and get her back to them.”

Channel 2 Action News is working with Weinschenk and Matton’s family to be on hand for the reunion.

Matton was shot in the abdomen and hand and had surgery yesterday. As of last check, he was in serious but stable condition.

Cobb County police are asking for the public’s help to identify the shooter. Anyone who saw anything is asked to call 770-499-3987,

Truck driver shot multiple times on I-75; police still searching for shooter

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