Posted on July 11, 2024 by Colleen Lynn

2024 Dog Bite Fatality: Pit Bull Fatally Attacks Woman Riding Bicycle in Florence, South Carolina

Owners Arrested, Charged with Misdemeanor After Mauling Death

Karen Nelson, 71, was fatally attacked by a pit bull while riding her bicycle.

Owners arrested
UPDATE 07/17/24: The owners of a pit bull that killed 71-year old Karen Nelson on July 10 were charged with owning a dangerous animal, a misdemeanor, in connection to her death, Florence police said. Justin Conroy, 40, of 105 Williams Way, Chapin, and Ashley Maclean, 30, of 1134 Clarendon Avenue, were taken into custody and transported to the Florence County Detention Center, where they underwent a bond hearing. Both defendants face a fine of up to $5,000 or three years in jail.

"The defendant did know or should have known the canine which belongs to him and the co-defendant has a propensity, tendency, or disposition to attack unprovoked, cause injury, or otherwise endangers the safety of human beings or domestic animals; which makes an unprovoked attack that causes bodily injury to a human being and the attack occurs in a place other than the place where the animal is confined. The canine broke free from its leash and collar device and attacked the victim. The canine punctured the victim's neck, which resulted in the victim's death." - Lance Cpl. T. Matti, Florence Police Department, arrest warrant statement

Judge Marsh A. Julian presided over the bond hearing, which set the bonds for Conroy and Maclean at $15,000 each. Neither spoke during the hearing, WPDE reports. The dog involved was euthanized on July 13 after the owners surrendered the animal to the city. The attorney for the couple, Madalyn Norton, asked for a personal recognizance (PR) bond for each of them, given this is the first offense for each. Judge Julian did not grant PR bonds due to the seriousness of the charges against them.

"A lady is now gone. And her family is grieving at her funeral right now. It's an extremely tragic event. But what concerns me most is I know you don't have a record. And I don't consider you a flight risk. However, I believe what I read in the report is that there are two other dogs at the house. I don't know what kind of dogs those are. I'm not asking. And I'm not interested in that today. And, the fact that there's been previous reports of this dog being a dangerous dog." - Judge Julian

The Post and Courier reports that as Maclean walked her canine along Brigadoone Lane while her child rode his bicycle nearby, the dog was able to bolt away from Maclean by "breaking its leash and collar device." The dog then attacked Nelson unprovoked, knocking her off the bike, and fatally biting her neck. Maclean could not pull the dog off Nelson before her fiancé, Conroy, arrived, according to the police report. Maclean rendered first aid until emergency responders arrived at the scene, police said.

Justin Conroy, 40, and Ashley Maclean, 30, were charged with owning a dangerous animal in connection to the fatal pit bull mauling of Karen Nelson, 71, in Florence on July 10, 2024.

07/11/24: Pit Bull Kills Bicyclist
Florence, SC - A 71-year old woman riding her bicycle through a neighborhood in southwest Florence is dead after being attacked by a dog, police said. On Wednesday, at approximately 8:15 pm, first responders were dispatched to the 1800 block of Brigadoone Lane and Waccamaw Drive for a report of a 71-year old female falling from her bike, according to audio dispatch log files from Florence Fire. "She appears to be seriously injured. She's not alert and has a hole in her neck," states the dispatcher.

After responders arrive on scene and attempt to "control bleeding" and administer CPR to the victim, they related back to the dispatcher, "this lady was attacked by a dog" (not a fall). Police state in a press release that during the investigation, officers learned the victim was riding her bike through the area when a dog got loose and attacked the woman, knocking her off her bike. The dog then bit the woman causing multiple "traumatic injuries." She was transported to a hospital, where she died.

Captain Stephen Starling with the Florence Police Department confirmed the dog involved is a pit bull, reports WPDE.

Animal control took possession of the dog. The Florence County Coroner's Office is assisting in the investigation. An autopsy is scheduled for Friday morning. The deadly attack is the latest in a series of dog attacks in Florence County, including the high profile attack of a 14-month old child, who was critically injured by eight pit bulls in January. After months of debating, the city of Florence finally passed a new ordinance that lowers the threshold for a dog to be considered dangerous.

Victim Identified

A close friend identified the victim as Karen Nelson to WPDE. "I’m having a hard time. She was one of the best people I ever knew. She never met a stranger. She always made you feel good. She was just a phenomenal person. And it was just a horrible thing that happened," said Mary Crouch, who described Nelson as her best friend. Family and friends described Nelson as an avid cyclist, a loving grandmother, a beloved music teacher, and "incredibly involved in the church here in Florence."

Florence County Coroner Keith von Lutcken confirmed the victim's identification and that the attack occurred at the intersection of Brigadoone Lane and Waccamaw Drive. According to Lutcken, the pit bull broke loose to attack as it was being walked. No information was provided about the dog's owner. "We are still investigating the circumstances of this situation," Capt. Starling said. In 2021, another attempt was made to pass a state-level pit bull spay/neuter law in South Carolina, but it failed.

Dog was Leashed

WPDE received new information from Capt. Starling, including that the dog was leashed prior to fatally attacking the bicyclist. As law enforcement continues to gather information, Starling said, "We just have to look at circumstances surrounding the incident ... Did the leash break? Was the leash tight enough. Was the collar the right kind of collar? ... And then we will look into the history of the dog. Has there been complaints before question things like that? So it is just an evolving investigation."

The Post and Courier reports the dog's female owner was walking the dog "while her child rode his bicycle in the area of Brigadoone Lane." Nelson, who lived at a home just "yards" away from the fatal attack site, was on her bicycle as well. The dog broke free from its leash and knocked Nelson off her bike, then fatally attacked her neck, leaving a hole in her neck. The owner was "unable to get the dog away from Nelson before her fiancé arrived." He was able to pull the dog away, but it was too late.

Intersection where a Florence woman was fatally attacked by a pit bull while riding her bicycle.

After Karen Nelson was targeted and killed by an aggressive pit bull -- the dog knocked her off her bike then fatally attacked her neck -- a fellow bicyclist shows a "token" ghost bike symbol in her honor. A real ghost bike, a life-size bike painted white with a sign reading, "A cyclist was killed here," might be too controversial for the Brigadoone subdivision in Florence.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: South Carolina Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.

Baseline reporting requirements:
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.

Posted on July 8, 2024 by Colleen Lynn

2024 Dog Bite Fatality: Man Killed by Dog Pack on Corsair Road in Southwest Houston, Texas

A southwest Houston man was mauled and killed by his neighbor's dogs on Corsair Road.

UPDATE 08/07/24: Our nonprofit recently obtained records from BARC, the city of Houston's Municipal Animal Shelter, after submitting a FOIA. The records portray similar events as was left by @matthollymarshalls on YouTube after the attack. On July 6, 2024, police officers were dispatched to a residence in the 1500 block of Corsair Road in southwest Houston at about 2:30 pm for a report of a deceased man in the yard of his home. It was determined that three or four dogs were involved.

Animal control officers responded to the scene as other officers collected written statements from witnesses. The 87-year old male victim was deceased on the side of his home near his trash cans. Earlier, witnesses had seen the dog owner "retrieve the dogs from the deceased house and take them back home," states the report. Officers spoke to the owner who agreed to surrender the dogs, a pair of male and female rottweiler-mixes, a female German shepherd-mix, and a female chihuahua-mix.

"I then approached the address XXXXXX when a male resident came outside. He asked did we need anything. I asked him about the dogs at that address and their whereabouts and he told me that they were in the backyard and did something happen. I informed him that a witness placed the dogs from his address at a neighbor's house and that they caused serious bodily injury or death of a person. He did not appear to be surprised when I told him. We asked who was the person that took the dogs form the location and brought them back home and he stated that it was his grandfather." - BARC Animal Shelter Activity Report, City of Houston

The attack occurred on the victim's property near the garage. There was a truck in the driveway with both windows rolled down. A BARC officer observed "two trash cans on the ground with a couple of empty recycling bottles out. Between both houses, by the wall, there was the victim. He was laying down. He was naked and I noticed in front of his leg were red pieces of fabric, possibly his pants," states the report. Photographs of the house in the report show it was heavily raining at 2:30 pm.

Witness 1 told the officers that between 8:00 and 9:00 am, he saw three dogs charging the victim, who was defending himself with the trash cans. He told another person in his home, who went outside but reported he did not notice anything. Around 2:00 pm, Witness 1 went to get gas and "he saw what looked like legs," states the report. He returned home and went with another witness to investigate the man's yard. That it is when they saw the victim lying down. They returned home and called 911.

After the dogs attacked the victim on the side of his home, they retreated into the victim's backyard and remained there until 2:00 pm, when the witnesses discovered the man's body. This is when the witnesses saw the grandfather of the dogs' owner go into the victim's backyard and retrieve the three large dogs. One witness told police, "the owner looked more worried to protect the dogs than the victim," states the report. Multiple witnesses provided a written statement to authorities.

The male rottweiler, "Piri" and the female German shepherd, "Canela," had to be tranquilized in order to be impounded and loaded into the animal control truck. Upon arrival at the shelter, "since the dogs were signed over, we euthanized immediately at the shelter and emptied the stomach contents of each of the dogs," states the report. The victim sustained severe arm injuries. The circumstance of the bite is listed as "unprovoked" in the report, and the dogs were designated as "loose" at the time.

07/08/24: Houston, TX - A man was killed by one or more of his neighbor's dogs on July 6, 2024. The attack occurred around 2:30 pm on Corsair Road near Beltway 8. Police said the man died at the scene and the dog(s) are in the custody of BARC, the city of Houston's Municipal Animal Shelter. No other information was released, including the number and breeds of dogs involved, and the victim’s name or age. At the time of this attack, local media and law enforcement were preparing for hurricane Beryl.

On the KHOU YouTube page, a comment was left, seemingly by a local. The person said the victim was an 80-year old Hispanic man who lived alone. He was "last seen defending himself with his trash cans alongside his own house." A "large amount of tissue was torn off his body." The dogs had a history of getting loose. The commenter stated five dogs were involved and two rottweilers "ate him." Now, "everyone is afraid to walk around." The dogs have been confiscated and will be euthanized.

@matthollymarshalls - "It was 5 dogs total. Two Rottweilers fkn ATE him... The 80 year old Hispanic man living alone was attacked, was last seen defending himself with his trash cans alongside his own house. Large amount of tissue were torn off his body. These dogs lived in the area and got out alot, owned by a younger man nearby. The dogs all got stuck in the old mans back yard, and when told, the owners grandfather went and let the dogs out of the yard to run home. All dogs were eventually taken by the police to be put down. Charges?? Unknown. People who own badass dogs to protect themselves in this bad world, must balance the responsibility they have to their neighbors. And everyone is afraid to walk around now. Sad world. RIP Mr. Old Man, wish you had a better end...sad sad story."

Because this investigation in currently active, and there's barely enough information to file a FOIA with BARC, there is not much we can do except to wait. The medical examiner will eventually release the victim's name and preliminary cause and of manner of death upon request. Once that information is known, we can request the quarantine records, breed information, and hopefully, a brief narrative from BARC. We do not expect any further media reports about this man's brutal dog mauling death.

Attacking dog pack from top left: "Piri" (male rottweiler-mix), "Dequesa" (female rottweiler-mix), "Canela" (female German shepherd-mix), and "Jolly" (female chihuahua-mix).

Recent fatal dog maulings in Harris County, Texas, which encompasses the city of Houston. The population is estimated to be 4.7 million, the third most populated county in the US. This attack occurred on the border of Fort Bend County, which is adjacent to Harris County.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: U.S. Fatal Rottweiler Attacks By State

Posted on July 8, 2024 by Colleen Lynn

2024 Dog Bite Fatality: Woman, 59, Killed by Neighbor's Two Pit Bulls She was Dog Sitting in Caddo Parish, Louisiana

Joni Hatcher, 59, was killed by two pit bulls while dog sitting in Caddo Parish.

Woman Killed
Shreveport, LA - A woman who was killed in a dog attack on July 7, 2024 has been identified by the Caddo Parish Coroner's Office. 59-year old Joni Hatcher was discovered deceased inside a home in the 7800 block of Womack Road just after 11:30 am, states a press release. Hatcher was last seen alive the night before around 8:00 pm by a neighbor who saw her checking the mailbox. A neighbor told investigators that Hatcher had been caring for the homeowner's dogs while he was gone.

Online property records show that Hatcher lived directly next door to the dog owner on Womack Road. Her death remains under investigation by the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office. An autopsy has been ordered. The injuries she sustained were consistent with an animal attack, possibly a dog or dogs. No information was released about whether any dogs had been seized, or the breeds involved. No information was released about the dog's owner, except that he is male and was not present.

Brother Speaks Out

The victim's brother, Russell Hatcher, stated on Facebook on July 11 that pit bulls were to blame. "My sister was attacked by two pit bulls this past Sunday. She was mauled and lost her life while pet sitting. She was 59-years old. Her life ended too soon," he wrote. The investigation is still active. "We have not yet made arrangements for my sister, Joni Hatcher," he wrote. "As soon as the investigation is done, and they release her, we will let everyone know what we are going to do and when," he wrote.

killed by dogs while dog sitting in caddo parish

Joni Hatcher, 59-years old, was killed by two pit bulls she was dog sitting in Caddo Parish.

Womack Road is where a woman was killed by dogs while dog sitting in Caddo Parish.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Louisiana Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.

Posted on July 5, 2024 by Colleen Lynn

2024 Dog Bite Fatality: Husky Blamed for Deadly Dog Bite to Homeless Man in Fresno County, California

Area where a husky is blamed for a deadly dog bite to a homeless man.

Victim Identified
UPDATE 08/14/24: The Fresno County Sheriff's Office has identified the dog mauling victim as 49-year old Ivon Rocher Garces of Fresno. "Staff at the Coroner’s Office have searched numerous personal records, but their attempts to find relatives have been unsuccessful," states a release from the Fresno County Sheriff's Office. "Locating immediate family members is a necessary process in order for the Coroner’s Unit to release the body and allow the person to have a proper burial."

"On July 4th, around 5:00 am, a person reported hearing screams coming from an orchard near the intersection of North and Peach Avenues in Fresno. There they made contact with an injured homeless person, later identified as Ivon Garces, who said they were just attacked by a Husky type of dog. Deputies and EMS personnel responded and got Garces transported to the hospital. Due to a significant loss of blood, Garces eventually died." - Fresno County Sheriff's Office

07/05/24: Man Dies After Dog Bite
Fresno County, CA - A man experiencing homelessness died after he told Fresno County sheriff's deputies he was attacked by a husky early Thursday morning. Deputies were dispatched to the area of South Peach Avenue and East North Avenue just before 5:00 am for reports of screaming coming from a nearby orchard, an agricultural zoned property. Deputies found the injured man, who remains unidentified, who said he had been attacked by a husky and was bleeding badly from his arm.

Audio dispatch log files from the Fresno County Sheriff's Office published on Broadcastify also reflect this account. "Peach and North. It would be an unsheltered subject. Says he was attacked by a husky. Bleeding from his arm," dispatch states. "The location is showing center of the orchard northeast of the 10-20. He is estimated [58] years old," dispatch states. [unintelligible directional instructions] "He is currently conscious and breathing, and bleeding seriously from his arm" [unintelligible].

The man was transported to a hospital, but due to a significant loss of blood, reports KSEE/KGPE, he died shortly afterward. The dog that attacked the man has not been located. After reviewing the area with mapping tools, our map shows a red balloon at a home where multiple pit bulls are seen inside and outside of its fencing in Google Street View. The "orchard" is the nearby agricultural property (seen in the KFSN video), where the man was apparently located, and designated in orange.

The orchard property is bordered by the Washington Canal on the West and North Avenue on the South. In the 17 years of tracking dog bite fatalities, a husky, acting alone, has never killed an adult. Fatal husky attacks nearly exclusively (17 of 19, 89%) involve killing infants and children ≤5 years old. The two adult deaths include a pit bull and a husky jointly killing 22-year old Rebecca Hardy in 2015, and a pack of dogs, which included two huskies, jointly killing 84-year old Loretta Moore in 2021.

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Owners Arrested, Charged with Misdemeanor After Mauling Death