Damon Lamont Alexander, 37, was charged with one count of failure to care, contain or control a dangerous canine. The charge was certified by a General District Court judge Thursday morning and sent over to Circuit Court, according to court officials.
Alexander and Amanda Leigh Wilson, charged with the same felony count, were dog-sitting a male pit bull named Hitler for owners Adam Geiger and Stephanie Worley of Bristol, Tenn., when their neighbor Lisa Manis asked to walk the dog while taking her daughter and son to Moore Street Park on June 14.
Once they arrived and the girl began to play on a swing-set, the dog grabbed the child by the leg and dragged her to the ground, according to a report filed by Animal Control Officer Deena Bouton.
Manis then grabbed the jaws of the dog to free the child and was mauled by the animal, suffering severe injuries to all four limbs.
Manis remained in the hospital for two days and continues physical therapy for her injuries.
Two men managed to pull the dog off Manis and hold him until Bouton arrived. The dog was euthanized hours after the attack once the officer conferred with the owners.
A police report revealed that Alexander’s two children were attacked by the dog at Observation Knob Park on May 25, a month before the second attack.
The dog was quarantined at SBK Animal Shelter in Blountville and then released to Alexander, just three days before the June attack, according to shelter records.
Police said Alexander and Wilson were charged because they failed to inform Manis that the dog had been involved in a previous attack and they allowed her to take the dog without knowing it was vicious.
Wilson appeared in General District Court last month on her felony charge and pleaded guilty, according to court records. She is currently serving a 42-day jail sentence and will pay $561 in court costs.
The case will likely be taken up at the next scheduled grand jury session Nov. 26.
(TriCities.com - Sept 27, 2013)
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