2015 Dog Bite Fatality: 63-Year Old Arkansas Man Killed by Three Pit Bulls

UPDATE 07/18/15: In a July 17 email correspondence with Johnson County Sheriff Larry Jones, the sheriff confirmed that the attacking dogs were pit bulls. Three pit bulls were involved in the fatal dog mauling of Frederick Crutchfield, 63-years old of Hartman. In the email exchange, Sheriff Jones also answered our other questions. The dogs were not chained, the deadly attack occurred on the dog owner's property and Crutchfield knew the pit bulls well, according to Sheriff Jones.

02/20/15: Autopsy Results
Coal Hill, AR - On February 4, the Johnson County Sheriff's Office and Coal Hill police responded to a location to assist in a death investigation. Investigators found a 63-year old man dead in the woods near his home. His body was sent to the Arkansas State Medical Examiner's Office to determine cause of death. On February 20, newly revealed autopsy results showed that Frederick Crutchfield, 63 of Hartman, died from "canine injuries" inflicted by a family member's dogs.

The Arkansas Crime Lab determined the cause of death was exsanguination due to multiple canine injuries, according to a statement released by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office. The dogs involved in the deadly attack belonged to a family member, according to officials, and have since been impounded. The breed(s) of dogs and total number of dogs have not been released. Crutchfield served in the Army National Guard for 30-years and was an Iraq war veteran.

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

6 thoughts on “2015 Dog Bite Fatality: 63-Year Old Arkansas Man Killed by Three Pit Bulls”

Another family member killed by the family dog. When is this carnage going to end?

Any news on the breed yet?

The problem here sounds like a dog owner with an aggressive dog with a history of attacking, a person with a high local social ranking and connections and thus the secrecy

Many of the locals are commenting about this and that lots more will come out, also that it was the step son's dog, and also the stepson was breeding the dog

When do we realize that like every other business that already is, dog breeding needs to be regulated. There need to be rules and protections, and there need to be consumer protections and things like insurance requirements, just like all other businesses.

Local people wrote "Dog also had puppies near where he was attacked."

"Step sons dog… the son never liked him…"

RIP Mr. Crutchfield.

Thank you for the light you brought to this world.

http://rollerfuneralhomes.com/services.asp?page=odetail&id=37047&locid=

Dog breeding needs to be regulated? Hear-hear to that! And let's start with business licensing. I'd be willing to bet that 99.9% of these dog breeding operations are unlicensed. Which means they're not paying sales tax, income tax, use tax, or any other type of tax.

How often do family dogs, that aren't pit bulls, kill their owners? I can think of one, the Keeshund mix in 2014, and the GSD in 2013, but I am pretty sure it's a pit 95% of the time.
I guess it could be another breed, but what are the odds?
Also- the breed seems to be hidden/not released when it's a PIT. I think there are several more deaths per year due to pits that weren't recorded properly (catahoula, anyone? neighbors say PIT), and a few others that went "unidentified".
Wonder why…. Thats rhetorical.

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Your Quiet Neighbor on February 23, 2015 at 3:35 pm said:

Another family member killed by the family dog. When is this carnage going to end?
Michaela Joy on February 23, 2015 at 4:02 pm said:

Any news on the breed yet?
joelande on February 23, 2015 at 6:01 pm said:

The problem here sounds like a dog owner with an aggressive dog with a history of attacking, a person with a high local social ranking and connections and thus the secrecy

Many of the locals are commenting about this and that lots more will come out, also that it was the step son's dog, and also the stepson was breeding the dog

When do we realize that like every other business that already is, dog breeding needs to be regulated. There need to be rules and protections, and there need to be consumer protections and things like insurance requirements, just like all other businesses.

Local people wrote "Dog also had puppies near where he was attacked."

"Step sons dog… the son never liked him…"
joelande on February 23, 2015 at 8:44 pm said:

RIP Mr. Crutchfield.

Thank you for the light you brought to this world.

http://rollerfuneralhomes.com/services.asp?page=odetail&id=37047&locid=
Your Quiet Neighbor on February 23, 2015 at 8:48 pm said:

Dog breeding needs to be regulated? Hear-hear to that! And let's start with business licensing. I'd be willing to bet that 99.9% of these dog breeding operations are unlicensed. Which means they're not paying sales tax, income tax, use tax, or any other type of tax.
Baby RadFem on February 24, 2015 at 3:55 am said:

How often do family dogs, that aren't pit bulls, kill their owners? I can think of one, the Keeshund mix in 2014, and the GSD in 2013, but I am pretty sure it's a pit 95% of the time.
I guess it could be another breed, but what are the odds?
Also- the breed seems to be hidden/not released when it's a PIT. I think there are several more deaths per year due to pits that weren't recorded properly (catahoula, anyone? neighbors say PIT), and a few others that went "unidentified".
Wonder why…. Thats rhetorical.