Owner of pit bulls that attacked woman is released

By LEANDRA ROLLE

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE owner of the dogs that attacked a woman in Pinewood Gardens last week has been released from custody, officials have said.

His release came days after the incident occurred. Still, police said an investigation into the matter are still ongoing.

According to reports, shortly after 3pm on Saturday, the woman was walking to her vehicle on Sequoia Street when she was attacked and bitten about the body by three pit bulls in the area.

Officials said an ambulance later transported her to the hospital, where she was listed in stable but serious condition. The Tribune understands that she has since been released from the hospital.

Meanwhile, the dogs who attacked her still remain in the custody of Animal Control.

The incident came four years after another woman was left in critical condition after she was mauled by two pit bulls she owned.

That attack occurred in early 2016 on Paradise Island. A man who was also injured during the attack was taken to the hospital but treated and released a day later.

At the time, then-Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Stephen Dean said the male victim was walking around 4pm when he passed the woman walking her two pit bulls.

One of the pit bulls lunged at the man and attacked him. When the dog’s owner tried to intervene, both animals turned on her, The Tribune was told.

ACP Dean, now retired from the RBPF, said bystanders attempted to get the dogs off the woman to no avail. When officers arrived on the scene, one of the dogs was still on top of her. ACP Dean said one of the dogs even lunged at the police officers and was shot and killed on the scene.

The other dog was put to sleep that day. The man was taken to the hospital where he was treated for injuries to his arms and legs. The woman suffered injuries to her face, neck, arms and legs.

Comments

ThisIsOurs says...

what was the reason to keep the man in custody? sounds like a bad accident.Just as the woman walking her dogs in 2016 did not intend for her dogs to attack the walker

Posted 27 February 2020, 9:52 p.m. Suggest removal

joeblow says...

... in a real country with a functional legal system where people understood that thing called personal responsibility, the owner of the dogs would be responsible for the injuries the dogs inflicted if the owner did not take due diligence to prevent a foreseeable accident!

Posted 28 February 2020, 8:22 a.m. Suggest removal

tell_it_like_it_is says...

Thank you very much. An accident is *usually* something you **can't** prevent. This was completely preventable. This person had 3 pitbulls out at once, obviously that he couldn't control. Obviously that was a stupid idea.

Plus, he at a minimum should be made to pay this woman's medical bills and fined for not having these animals properly secured.

In "true" car accidents, those responsible are fined. This is just outright carelessness and it would be sad to know that nothing happens to the owner of the dogs. It will just embolden other owners to be just as careless until someone dies.

Posted 28 February 2020, 8:47 a.m. Suggest removal

ThisIsOurs says...

Yes I get they are liable for all expenses as they are responsible for not properly securing potentially dangerous dogs (any dog really). I've said all of that in a previous post.

My question is why did they have to be locked up? That implies criminal intent. There was a case in NY where a gentleman had an ongoing feud with his neighbour and would bait his pit bulls to respond aggressively to the neighbour. The dogs eventually did attack the woman...in that case it was clear that there were intentional actions that resulted in harm..in this case I don't see that...the owner may have been irresponsible and not fit to own the dogs...all of that, but doesn't sound like they had ill intent. That's my question.

Posted 28 February 2020, 9:14 a.m. Suggest removal

joeblow says...

... because wounding or causing actual bodily harm (whether negligently or otherwise) IS criminal and recklessness or foresee-ability IS a form of intent!!

Posted 28 February 2020, 11:26 a.m. Suggest removal

ThisIsOurs says...

ok. seems heavy handed especially since they released without any bail hearing...

Posted 28 February 2020, 2:12 p.m. Suggest removal

Well_mudda_take_sic says...

WHY HAVEN'T THE DEADLY PIT BULLS IN THE LATEST ATTACK INCIDENT BEEN PUT DOWN FOR GOOD BY NOW?!!!!!!

Posted 28 February 2020, 10:14 a.m. Suggest removal

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