WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – The owner of a dog that attacked another dog and its owner in Washington Township has been identified and likely will face misdemeanor charges.
Tim Smith, 67, was walking in Gilcher Park on Jan. 6 when a pit bull broke off its leash and charged him and his dog Charlie. Smith and Charlie both suffered severe lacerations.
Recommended Videos
Smith said the pit bull's owner had to lure the dog away with treats. He said she left him and Charlie bleeding in the park after he said he wanted to contact police.
Investigators with the Macomb County Sheriff's Office said they tracked down the woman after receiving numerous tips. She went to the Sheriff's Office on Thursday for an interview. The Sheriff's Office said the woman, 58, was accompanied by her attorney.
She told a Sheriff's investigator that "she was walking her dog 'Bella,' when her dog broke its collar and attacked the other dog."
"She stated that she attempted to restrain her dog but it became a 'wrestling match' and she became exhausted. She retrieved her vehicle and was able to get the dog inside," reads a statement from the Sheriff's Office.
She told detectives she wanted to help the injured man but when he told her that he wanted to report the incident she feared that her dog would be "taken from her and destroyed." That's why she fled the area, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Her dog is a 60-pound pit bull. The woman lives in Leonard, Mich. The Sheriff's Office said she told an investigator that the dog is up to date on shots. The dog is with her at her home.
The woman is expected to be charged with a misdemeanor for having a vicious dog which caused injuries. Oakland County Animal Control, which could decide the dog's fate, has been notified.
The woman will be named after she is formally charged.