Friday, January 13, 2012

Pit bull mauls man, teen at apartment

TEXAS -- A pit bull owner was charged with intentionally releasing his dog, which then mauled a man and teenager, authorities said.

Bond for Eric James Dowlen, 33, was set at $30,000 on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, Nassau Bay police Chief Joey Cashiola said Tuesday.

Eric James Dowlen

Officers responded to a report of a dog bite at 9:24 p.m. Sunday outside an apartment at a complex at 2004 San Sebastián Court, Cashiola said.

Dowlen, who lived at Balboa apartments, had an argument with two people he knew, a man, 21, and a 16-year-old boy, Cashiola said.

Cashiola said Dowlen was charged with “intentionally releasing” the dog on the pair, who also lived at the complex.

“The two male victims were transported to St. John Hospital to be treated for multiple dog bites to the legs and arm,” Cashiola said.

Their injuries weren’t life threatening, and they were treated and released.

Dowlen's facebook photo

A Nassau Bay animal control officer went to the scene and took the dog, which was under quarantine, Cashiola said. Dowlen was in the process of being released from the Harris County Jail on Tuesday, a jail official said.

Per Facebook, the heavily-inked Dowlen has an interesting job -- he is a remote-control pilot of marine vehicles. He's also a big-time punk/rockabilly cat. A public records search turns up no prior arrests. (via Houston Press blog)

(Daily News - Jan 11, 2012)