Dog Owner Arrested and Charged Under State Felony Law
Victim's family speaks out after Theresa Rhodes was killed by two loose pit bulls in Bolivar.
Dog Owner Charged
UPDATE 07/12/24: Local media, Hatchie Press, reports the owner of the dogs in connection to the death of Theresa Rhodes was arrested on July 2, 2024 for Dogs Not Allowed at Large, Resulting in Death, which is a Class D felony in Tennessee. Antoinette Pirtle was booked into the Hardeman County Criminal Justice Complex and later released on a $5,000 bond. The arrest came just one day after Bolivar police issued the public advisory about the fatally attacking dogs still roaming at large.
The Hatchie Press article was published on July 11. It's unclear why there were no immediate media reports about Pirtle's arrest. A "booking report" on the Hardeman County Sheriff's website (Report 7-1 through 7-12-24), shows that Antoinette Lachele Pirtle was arrested on these charges by Bolivar police on July 2. The booking report was published on July 11, according to Google Search results. Pirtle resides at a home in the 400 block of East Sycamore, three houses from the fatal attack site.
07/01/24: Woman Killed by Dogs
Bolivar, TN - A 61-year old woman is dead after being attacked by two dogs, according to the Bolivar Police Department. The attack occurred in the middle of the night -- just after 1:30 am --- near the intersection of Sycamore View and Mitchell streets. When police officers arrived, Theresa Rhodes, 61, was bleeding in the middle of the street. Rhodes had "extensive injuries sustained from a dog attack," police said. Two dogs were in the area. An officer fired a shot at the dogs, and both dogs fled.
As of July 2, both dogs involved in this fatal mauling have been captured, according to an updated advisory by the Bolivar Police Department.
Rhodes was transported to Bolivar General Hospital for treatment but did not survive. "We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of Ms. Theresa Rhodes during this difficult time," Bolivar Police Chief Mike Jones said in a press release. "Our officers responded swiftly and professionally to the situation, and we are actively working to ensure the safety of our community." Both dangerous pit bulls continue to be at large; the brown pit bull was captured on camera.
UPDATE 7/2/24 6 AM
Both dogs in this incident have been captured.The Bolivar Police Department is advising residents in the Sycamore Street/Mitchell Street area of two dangerous dogs that are roaming the area. One of the dogs was captured on camera and is pictured below; the other is described as being blue-gray in color with features similar to a pit bull. Please be hyper-vigilant while outdoors or walking around this neighborhood.
If you see these dogs, please do not approach. - Bolivar Police Department
One of the victim's relatives posted to Facebook, "It’s one thang dying because you’re sick but to be ate to death by some dogs just don’t sit well with me Lord have mercy." Another posted, "RIP you will be missed by many #WeWe." The victim was known by family and friends as "Wee-Wee," spelled in different ways. Four hours after Bolivar police issued the dangerous dog advisory, the post remains unchanged. Local media state that police are collaborating with animal control to locate the dogs.
One of the two loose pit bulls captured by Bolivar police after the dogs killed a woman.
Bolivar police issue advisory for dangerous dogs after woman killed by two roaming pit bulls.
View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Tennessee Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.Related articles:
12/16/23: 2023 Dog Bite Fatality: Man, 59, Killed by Vicious Pit Bull in Yuma; Police Issue Advisory
11/24/20: 2020 Dog Bite Fatality: Man, 65, Killed by Pack of Dogs in Florida; Police Issue Advisory
Law enforcement departments across the United States should release consistent "baseline" information to the media and the public after each fatal dog mauling, including these items.
Officer doing the shooting clearly needs more training on how to hit a target or the public at large wouldn’t be in danger right now.
Police departments should have silhouettes of Bloodsport gladiator anti-dogs in various modeling positions, so they can practice.
Before Bloodsport anti-dogs were being
promoted as pets, police did not need to know how to shoot dogs because a swift kick would stop almost all dog attacks.
If you read the ATTS description part 4 and the results, warning shots don’t stop 86% of the bloodsport anti-dogs, so police need to shoot to kill.
May Theresa Rest In Peace her death was easily preventable if America was strict on the pitbull bans American wouldn’t died by those vicious pitbull.That why pitbull death is mainly in USA if they ban pitbull they wouldn’t have to put out a advisory for dangerous pitbull.
Maybe the sweet wigglebutts are safe at home and their owner has hosed the blood off. It has gotten to the point where we need to collect dog saliva for forensic ID of individual animals. Then again why bother, when killing your neighbor via your dog isn’t a crime anyway.
How do authorities
know that they have the right dog? What kind of proof do they have? Did the dogs run home? Do they have an owner?
Another preventable death. RIP
Again, older woman walking down the street, minding her own business is turned into dog chow by dogs that humans bred to kill other dogs and hunt humans.
I know how often we talk about pitbulls here but pitbulls are not a dog problem, they’re a human problem. It’s humans who refuse to clean up the mess of our fellow humans that profit from breeding an animal whose sole purpose is killing other dogs and running down humans (at one point).
The dogs can’t solve this problem. They aren’t creating themselves or keeping their own breeding lines, going. No right-minded dog wants to be bred for the purpose of killing its own kind and living a life of misery.
Humans did this. Humans can fix this. Until pitbulls are made outright illegal to own, it won’t stop. Dogfighters may find other lines but their profits will take a huge hit while they do that–and that industry may never fully recover.
If we as a society are determined to allow people to keep loaded weapons on four legs as pets, then I guess we need a DNA registry to find out who is breeding the things – so that the person responsible can be charged with manslaughter when one of them kills. The simplest thing would be to make fighting and “naNnY” breeds illegal but if we won’t do that then investigative genetic genealogy would find who is responsible.
I’m not hearing that they’re trying to find the responsible party in this case (I hope it’s happening and I just haven’t heard).
Owning pitbulls is so irresponsible. Breeding pit bulls is so irresponsible. And they’re killing people and maiming people and destroying property – and the owners are not being held responsible. We need change. We need laws and enforcement. We are all unsafe because of these dogs and their owners! Ms. Theresa Rhodes should be alive today.
They need to stop saying “dog” and start saying “pit bull.” We don’t have a problem of DOGS killing people like this, not normal companion breeds. Which pits and other bloodsport breeds are not and can never be because of their genetics.
I’m glad the owner was arrested. He needs to be convicted and spend time in prison.