Owner of dogs that critically injured Columbus 8-year-old faces criminal charges

The owner of two pitbull dogs that attacked and critically wounded an 8-year-old boy Sunday afternoon in North Linden is expected to face several charges in connection with the attack, according to the Columbus City Attorney’s office.

The man, whom The Dispatch is not identifying, is expected to be charged with failure to register a previously dangerous dog, failure to confine a previously designated dangerous dog, and two counts of failure to confine a dog, according to the City Attorney’s office.

All of the charges are misdemeanors, and the latter charge carries a fine of between $25 and $100. The charges were expected to be filed Wednesday, according to the City Attorney’s office, but had not been filed as of mid-afternoon.

Columbus police said that the dogs escaped from their owner’s residence on the 1200 block Carolyn Avenue, a couple blocks away from the incident on Hiawatha Street.

Columbus police responded just after 1 p.m. Sunday to a report of two dogs fighting in the 3500 block of Hiawatha Street, The Dispatch previously reported. At some point, callers told police, the dogs began attacking the child.

Police said the attack left the boy in “extreme critical condition” when he was transported to a local hospital. His condition was upgraded to stable on Monday, but no further update on his condition has been provided by authorities.

An unidentified Columbus police officer who responded to the scene shot both dogs, police said. One died at the scene, and Franklin County animal control took the other dog into its care. Neighbors had armed themselves with a shovel and baseball bats in a bid to get the dogs away from the boy.

The Franklin County Animal Care and Control is leading the investigation.

smeighan@dispatch.com

@ShahidMeighan

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