TENNESSEE -- A Newbern man is in a Memphis hospital today after he was mauled by a pit bull Saturday morning.
Coy Rushing, 61, is at The Regional Medical Center in Memphis with severe arm lacerations from bites suffered from a pit bull.
According to Newbern police captain Jim Richards, Rushing had knocked on the door of Tim Cummings's residence at 532 E. Johnson St. to inquire about work Cummings wanted Rushing to do.
"Apparently, when the door opened a pit bull came running up to him and attacked," said Richards.
Cummings was not at home at the time, said Richard, but people he termed "house sitters" were.
Rushing, a diabetic, was able to get into his parked car. His wife, who was in the car, drove to the police station. A medical helicopter landed behind the railroad depot and Rushing was transported to Jackson-Madison County General Hospital and then to Memphis.
The pit bull was seized and taken to the Dyer County Humane Society shelter.
The dog is described as a large white and black male pit bill and "quite aggressive," said shelter director Dr. Carol?Feather.
A notice was placed on the pit bull's shelter cage warning not to enter the run to feed the dog.
No charges have been filed, said Richards, though the case remains open.
(Dyersburg State Gazette - September 17, 2007)
