In Topeka Municipal Court, Angelo D. Aldridge, 29, apologized to bite victim Caleb Davis, 11, and said he felt heartbroken that anyone had been injured, was shocked by the attack and said he hadn’t raised the two dogs to behave this way.
Aldridge pleaded no contest to two counts each of having a dangerous dog, dog at large and not having a city tag. As part of the plea, four other counts of having a dangerous dog were dismissed.
Administrative Municipal Court Judge Jason Geier will sentence Aldridge on March 11.
Kevin Cook, Aldridge’s attorney, said that as part of the plea agreement, the recommended sentence is that Aldridge will pay fines, as well as restitution to the three victims for medical treatment of their injuries.
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Witnesses describe seeing two pit bulls attacking children at
Chesney Park Thursday afternoon after being
attacked by the dogs themselves.
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The recommended sentence also will include a suspended jail term, Cook said. Aldridge doesn’t have any criminal history of dangerous dog violations, Cook said.
Sarah Davis, Caleb Davis’ mother, watched the plea hearing on Thursday.
“I thought (Aldridge) should have some kind of consequence, but not much,” she said.
On the day of the dog attack, Caleb Davis, his two sisters and their four cousins were playing in the park. To escape the dogs, the boy climbed some monkey bars, where he remained for several minutes.
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| In this photo, a Topeka police officer fends off the two attacking dogs |
Caleb Davis received two stitches for a dog bite in his lower left leg and one stitch for a bite behind his right ear. He also suffered puncture wounds and scrapes, his mother said. The Davis family lives near Chesney Park.
Two men from the neighborhood, Christopher Nelson and Elihote Trotter, ran to the park to get the dogs away from the children and suffered dog bites.
After the plea hearing, Caleb Davis viewed a video recording shot during the dog attack.
City of Topeka chief prosecutor Charles Kitt said that following the Aug. 6 attack, the dogs were quarantined.
Then, after about 30 days, the dogs were released to Helping Hands Humane Society, where the dogs were put to sleep, Kitt said. Helping Hands has the discretion to destroy the dogs in a situation like this, Kitt said.
On Aug. 6, police officers were called to Chesney Park at 2:09 p.m. The park is bordered by S.W. 18th on the north, S.W. 19th on the south, S.W. Clay on the east, and S.W. Buchanan on the west.
A witness said children sought refuge on playground equipment, a man was trapped on a picnic table as the two dogs circled the area and at least two other adults stood on various park objects.
A Topeka Fire Department truck sprayed the dogs with water to corral them into a grassy area of the park away from the children. A police officer tried to keep the dogs at bay with a nightstick, then shot and injured one dog. Both dogs were soon captured.
Kevin Cook is the owner of Cook and Associates, which has a contract with the city of Topeka to provide lawyers to represent indigent defendants.
(Topeka Capital Journal - Jan 28, 2016)
Earlier:
Glad he seems remorseful, but I think he should be made to pay the cost of the emergency response and all medical bills. Plus he should made to do a video campaign repeating over and over his own words "I didn't raise them to behave this way".
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