OHIO -- A Sterling Heights man with a serious heart condition is being credited with saving the life of a woman attacked by two pit bulls.
Andrew Serocki rushed from his house Sunday morning and beat off the dogs with his cane.
"I couldn't believe what was going on," Serocki said. "These dogs were trying to maul this woman to death."
Sterling Heights Police Lt. Luke Riley said Serocki was in his house when he saw the two pit bulls bolt down the street and attack a woman who was taking an early morning walk on Tahiti Street in the Metropolitan Parkway and Dodge Park Road area.
Serocki ran out of his house at 10:30 a.m. without his pants and beat the pit bulls while neighbors called 911. An ambulance arrived and rushed the unidentified woman to a hospital.
Kathy Serocki said she is proud of her husband, a heart patient.
"I saw the pit bulls … and I knew something was wrong, real wrong," Mrs. Serocki said. "I hollered to my husband that there was going to be a pit bull attack.
"By the time I got to the front porch the two pit bulls were mauling her legs and arms."
Serocki said he thought about getting a gun but he didn't think there was time.
"To be honest I did something anyone else would have done if they saw this little lady being attacked," Serocki said. "We always knew there was going to be problems with these dogs."
The woman shook uncontrollably until advanced life support arrived.
"The people who own the dog have two young girls who often leave the front door of the house or gate to the backyard open," Kathy Serocki said. "They don't watch their dogs as they should."
The Sterling Heights City Council in February 2011 adopted a local ordinance to control dangerous dogs.
The ordinance increases fines for people who allow their dogs out unleashed.
On Sept. 29, 2010, over 150 dog owners attended a meeting in Sterling Heights voicing their opinions on a tougher dog ordinance. Council members called for the meeting because of several pit bull and Rottweiler attacks.
At the meeting most people said the attacks are not the fault of the dogs. They said the dogs' owners should be severely penalized.
Neighbors said the two pit bulls in Sunday's attack have been unleashed a number of times.
Police have not said whether the owners of the two dogs will be criminally charged.
The condition of the victim is not known.
(Macomb Daily - March 14, 2012)
