Police responded to 707 N. Gaither Ave in Newton at 3:56 p.m. to a reported animal bite, according to a Newton Police Department release.
Two of Christopher Amell’s dogs were seized by the Newton Police Department after mauling the two boys Sunday afternoon. Amell – the boyfriend of the children’s mother – told NPD he knew the boys were playing in his yard when he released the two dogs to clean their kennels.
When Amell returned to the yard, the dogs were attacking the boys. Amell separated and restrained the dogs before calling 911. Both children were taken to Catawba Valley Medical Center. The 6-year-old was airlifted to Carolina Medical Center in Charlotte as a result of the attack.
The Department of Social Services was notified and an investigation into the incident is ongoing, the release said.
Neighbors and Newton police paint different pictures of Amell
Paul Mingus describes a contentious relationship with his neighbor, Amell, on matters of both disputed property lines for their N. Gaither Avenue properties, as well as Amell’s dogs.
“He has an electric fence, and he’d let the dogs out. People would be walking by along the road, and the dogs would come down like they were going to chase after them,” Mingus said. “Scared people to death, and they’d hightail it or turn around and leave.”
“He’s not well-liked around the area, no sir.”
William Uriarte, a neighbor on the other side of Amell, said he did not have an issue with Amell’s dogs, but Amell had a penchant for conflict.
“He put that rock there to keep people from parking toward the edge of my yard,” Uriarte said. “The rock’s on his property, but my friends weren’t parking on his property anyway.”
David Settlemyre, who lives on Gaither Avenue, used an expletive to describe Amell.
“One time he came after my wife, running his mouth because she called animal control on him,” Settlemyre said. “In my opinion, the city should have dealt with it a long time ago.”
Mingus and Settlemyre said the Newton Police Department visited Amell’s property several times in recent months for dog complaints.
Newton Police Department Maj. Timothy Hayes said the complaints were for cleanliness in the dogs’ kennels.
“There’ve not been any calls dealt with dog bite or aggressive dog or things of that nature,” Hayes said.
Hayes also said he was not aware of any civil or criminal complaints about Amell reported to the Newton Police Department.
“If we receive any type of complaint, we would investigate it,” Hayes said, “whether it be an anonymous tip, name or phone number or any complaint we receive. We’ve had complaints from Amell about neighbors’ dogs coming onto his property. But there’s no record of his dogs going on anyone’s property that we’ve been able to locate at this time.”
Efforts to speak with Amell as of press time were unsuccessful.
As of 3 p.m. Monday, the Newton Police department’s investigation into Sunday’s incident is ongoing. The two dogs – whose vaccinations are up to date, a second release revealed – are still at the Catawba County Animal Shelter under quarantine.
(Hickory Record - Feb 24, 2015)
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