A man talking about a morning jog gone bad ... A neighbor's dog charged and mauled him.
It's a dog attack we first told you about earlier this week in Crawford County.
The dog attacked a jogger in Beaver Creek Township just south of Grayling earlier this month.
69-year-old Larry Kelley was returning home from a run on this road when his neighbor's dog ambushed him.
This pit bull knocked him over and attacked him, sending him to the hospital with bite injuries.
Mr. Kelley met with 9&10's Cody Boyer and photojournalist Melvin Kimbrough today to talk about the horrifying ordeal.
-----------------------------------------------
The dog managed to bite Larry Kelley on nearly every part of his body.
It was a morning he says he cannot forget.
"We had just come back from an all-day trek back from North Carolina, so I was up and out not as early as usual but to get a four-mile run," Kelley says.
A routine Larry Kelley has held onto for more than 20 years.
This time, everything changed.
"I first noticed that the dog wasn't on its chain back by the house and, almost the same instant, noticed it was in the center of the yard and in the next instant, saw that it was charging at me," Kelley says.
Larry says he held up his hand and told the dog to stop but it kept coming.
"He charged me and tried to knock me down, did not succeed and just proceeded to attack in different parts of my body," Kelley says.
"It's by far the most the scariest situation I've ever been involved in," Kelley says. "I really was doubtful of a positive outcome when I did lose my balance and get knocked down. I was able to get back up. I knew I didn't want to be on the ground with it."
Larry's wife and his 89-year-old neighbor were nearby and came to his rescue, along with the dog's owner.
"She was yelling at the dog but she couldn't get the dog to respond," Kelley says. "She had a hold of it once and couldn't hold it because no collar on it."
Larry went to the hospital. He needed more than 40 stitches.
Larry's lawyer, Heidi Tanner, says the next step depends on the prosecutor's decision.
"We do not know the extent of his damages are," Tanner says. "We are making a determination as to whether or not a civil action would be appropriate in this matter."
As for Larry, he'll keep running. But will always be cautious.
"You hear scary things like this happening and I guess I'm fortunate," Kelley says. "I know I'm fortunate and you hear ones that don't end this well."
We reached out to the dog's owner but have not heard back from them.
The case is now on the desk of the Crawford County prosecutor. He will determine if charges will be filed and if the dog will be put down.
(9&10 News - June 19, 2015)
No comments:
Post a Comment