St. Johns County Sheriff's Office deputies said Bryan Jones, 44, was walking his dog on Shallow Tail Lane in St. Augustine Friday afternoon when three dogs, two of which were pit bulls, approached them.
"I picked up my four-year-old. I couldn't get to the two-year-old in time and the dog was approaching the two-year-old," Jones said. "When he got about a foot away from him, that's when I decided to take action on the dog."
Jones told deputies he felt threatened, and that he kicked one pit bull and grabbed the other when it tried biting his leg.
"I struggled with the one that was on my leg and I thought I had suffocated him because I put him in a choke. He laid lifeless after about three minutes," Jones said.
The gray and white pit bull chased Jones' dog, Brody, to their home at 2832 Sheephead Court.
A neighbor watched the children as Jones let go of the first pit bill and ran home to help his dog.
Jones said he grabbed a knife from the kitchen and stabbed the pit bull attacking Brody.
"I didn't know if the dog that I thought I had suffocated was still with my kids and my neighbor so I just had to do a kill shot. I stabbed him in the back," Jones said. "Just because I didn't know if he felt defeated and I heard they fight to the death."
The dog staggered off and died.
Jones suffered several cuts to his hands and his knee trying to separate the dogs.
Jones' dog was treated by a veterinarian. Brody was home from the vet with 30 stitches but is expected to recover.
Jones said he has lost his confidence in pit bulls.
"I don't know if I'll be even able to walk my kids and my dog without some sort of protection because there was no growl, there was no bite, there was no sniffing of each other. It was just walk up and attack," Jones said.
Neither of the children were injured.
SJCO deputies were unable to find the other pit bull after the attack.
The yellow Lab — which was deemed friendly and not aggressive — and the dead pit both had been implanted with microchips.
They revealed that their owner is Denise Tatricolo of St. Johns County. She was unable to be reached for comment. The Lab was returned to her by Animal Control Officer Don Daniels.
“(She) was issued two citations, both for leash law violations,” Studivant said. “If anyone in that general vicinity spots a white pit mix, I hope they’ll call the Sheriff’s Office or Animal Control.”
Sheriff’s Sgt. Chuck Mulligan said no child was hurt and the man would face no criminal charges.
“He’s got a right to defend himself,” Mulligan said.
(News4Jax - Nov 05 2011)
(St Augustine Record - November 5, 2011)
