Dog probably followed ambulance with owner in to hospital following crash

A man injured when a driver suspected of being drunk smashed into his northern Idaho house got some good news on Saturday. His dog which had been missing since the incident on Thursday had been found. Jeffrey Groat was reunited with his "teacup Great Dane" named Burke while recovering in Kootenai Health hospital.

A Coeur d'Alene resident was reading the local newspaper and saw an article about Burke being missing. The photo in the article matched that of a dog he had found limping near Kootenai Health on the night of the accident. "He's (Burke) been hanging out in the guy's living room," said Brandi Bieber, a family friend. "They picked him up Thursday night near the emergency room. We think maybe the dog followed the ambulance and sounds of the sirens."

Shortly after being notified that the resident had Burke, Bieber picked up the dog and friends and family began working on a surprise reunion. "We kept it all very hush, hush," Bieber said. "A nurse told Jeff she was taking him outside to get some fresh air." When Groat and the nurse arrived outside, Burke was eagerly waiting to see his owner. "They were really excited to see each other," Bieber said. "Burke is younger and was really excited. We had to keep him from jumping on Jeff because he wanted to play."

Prior to the reunion, Groat, who was severely injured in the accident but is expected to be released from the hospital soon, kept asking about Burke. "It was a big, big stress for him," Bieber said. "The family is relieved. He is relieved." The relief of finding Burke comes in the aftermath of an accident that left Groat, Sherri Bloom and a 10-year old girl seriously injured and their home damaged to the point it has been condemned. Meanwhile, 27-year-old Thomas Scott Heinbaugh has been arrested on suspicion of drunken driving and fleeing an injury accident and is being held in Kootenai County Jail.