BRENTWOOD, Pa. -- A woman is accused of giving tainted meat to the pet dog of her ex-boyfriend, a Brentwood police sergeant who beat charges in the death of a motorist that made national headlines.

Lisa Ann Lightner, 36, of Burgettstown, Washington County, was scheduled to attend a preliminary hearing Tuesday on a charge of cruelty to animals stemming from the dog's death in January.

Allegheny County police arrested Lightner after she allegedly admitted leaving meat that contained antifreeze in Sgt. John Vojtas' yard for his 18-month-old Great Dane to eat.

According to a police affidavit, Lightner's 11-year-old son needed 32 stitches to close facial wounds after the dog bit him at Vojtas' home in January. Lightner alleged that the dog has also bitten her son, Tony.

The suspect told Brentwood police she would "take care of this" after they denied her request to remove the dog from Vojtas' home, according to the affidavit.

Vojtas said the dog became sick after eating the meat and was put to sleep.

In 1999, Lightner testified against Vojtas in a wrongful death lawsuit. It was filed by the family of Vojtas' ex-fiancee, Judith Barrett, who had made allegations of abuse against Vojtas before being shot to death with his gun in a bus shelter on Brownsville Road.

Barrett's death was ruled a suicide, and Vojtas was found liable for it in U.S. District Court.

Vojtas was acquitted of involuntary manslaughter in the 1995 death of Jonny Gammage, who died after a traffic stop on Route 51. Three other officers were charged, and their cases were dismissed.