Pitbull attacks three officers

Three officers attacked by a pitbull are reportedly undergoing precautionary rabies injections following a run-in last week which ended when one of the officers shot the dog.

The officers are Sgt. Rusty Woodlee and patrolmen Mark Mara and Josh King. They were all bitten last Wednesday during the confrontation with a dog outside a home on Black Street.

According to police reports, the officers were there to answer a complaint after a pair of dogs, one being the offending pitbull, confronted a woman and her grandson at a nearby residence. When officer King arrived, he was bitten on the leg and hand by the pitbull which charged him from the woods as he exited his patrol car. Sgt. Woodlee and patrolman Mara then arrived and were also bitten by the dog.

Mara, who was knocked to the ground by the dog, was bitten on the hand and leg but was able to kick the dog off, long enough for King to open fire, hitting the dog once. The dog was put down moments later and its carcass sent for analysis for rabies.

Meanwhile, the caretaker of the dog, Jimmy Bonner Jr., was cited for allowing dogs to run at large. Bonner reportedly told police he was keeping the dog for a man named Alan Moore. However, since Bonner was in custody of the animal, it was Bonner who faces the charges. Bonner said when he last saw the animals, they were locked inside a pen outside his house, and had not been intentionally allowed to run at large.

While unable to say whether the men have undergone rabies injections due to medical privacy laws, McMinnville Police Capt. Bryant Denton did say the men are still on active duty. The same privacy law will not allow authorities to comment on the results of the tests on the dog carcass. However, given the fact the officers are still on active duty, it is believed the treatment they are receiving is precautionary for rabies.

As for liability, which could run into the thousands of dollars if the officers are required to take a full round of rabies shots, the city may look at seeking reimbursement from the caretaker and/or owner of the dog. The law may also permit the officers to file civil suits against the owner and caretaker of the dog.

Under state law, it is a crime to allow a dog to run at large if the animal is a harassment or menace. The city also has a leash-type law which makes it a violation of city ordinance to allow an animal to stray from one?s property. The state law can carry jail time while the city statute carries a fine.