After a manhunt of several hours, Harford County sheriff's deputies yesterday arrested a man wanted on charges of breaking and entering, attempted murder and fatally shooting a dog in Fallston.

Eugene James O'Hara Jr., 43, of the 100 block of E. Broadway in Bel Air was arrested yesterday afternoon at an undisclosed location and held overnight at the county Detention Center in lieu of $150,000 bond, the sheriff's department said.

Witnesses told investigators a man broke into their residence, in the 400 block of Mountain Road, at 4:45 a.m. and threatened an RTC 11-year-old girl and 18-year-old man with a small-caliber, chrome-plated pistol after awakening them.

The intruder said he was looking for "Blake," whom he found asleep in another room, said Deputy 1st Class DeWayne Curry of the sheriff's office. A Doberman pinscher also was in the room, the deputy said.

When the dog tried to protect its master, Blake Vonhaack, 18, the man shot it twice, fatally, he said.

Mr. Vonhaack, who told investigators later that he knew the intruder, began wrestling with the man for the weapon, Deputy Curry said.

A shot missed Mr. Vonhaack, but the man struck him on the head with the handgun and fled, the deputy said.

L Investigators later obtained felony warrants for Mr. O'Hara.