In a case that highlighted the city’s ongoing struggle to find a solution to threats posed by stray dogs, a 48-year-old man was placed on community supervision for five years for failing to secure his dogs five years ago, leading to the mauling death of an 88-year-old woman.
Courtney White, who has been out on bond since March 2019, pleaded guilty on Jan. 30 to a count of attack by dog causing serious bodily injury or death.
The charge is a second degree felony, which carries a punishment of two to 20 years in prison.
If White successfully completes his community supervision, his case will be dismissed. However, he faces the full range of punishment if his supervision is revoked.
His charge stems from a Lubbock police investigation that began on Feb. 27, 2019
A deadly dog attack in north Lubbock
Lubbock Metro Special Crimes Unit investigators believe White was criminally negligent when he failed to secure five Pitbull-mix dogs in his property on Feb. 27 in the 1800 block of Brown Street, which led to them escaping and attacking and killing Johnnie Garner at her home in the 1800 block of Colgate Avenue, the warrant states.
More:Warrant: Neighbors link dogs to other attacks prior to woman’s death
A Lubbock police officer responded to Garner’s home and found her in the backyard with life-threatening injuries.
White, who called 911 and stayed at the scene, told the responding officer that he returned home that day and a neighbor told him that his dogs escaped from his yard and were loose in the neighborhood.
While looking for the dogs, White said he heard screams for help in Garner’s backyard and saw the dogs attacking her. He said he jumped into the yard to help and the dogs charged at him but stopped and ran away, the warrant states.
Garner was taken to Covenant Medical Center where she died from her injuries, the warrant states.
The dogs tore portions of her leg, exposing various tissue, tendons and bones, the warrant states. She also suffered puncture wounds all over both of her arms, on the back of her left leg near her thigh and puncture wounds to the back of her neck.
White surrendered the dogs to Lubbock Animal Services and the animals were euthanized later, police officials said.
Investigators spoke with a neighbor who said that two days before, her friend ran into her home through the back door, saying he was attacked by a group of dogs. The neighbor saw five dogs outside and her friend suffered a serious injury on his leg. She said the dogs also killed another dog, the warrant states.
She said she was about to throw out the trash that day and did not because she saw the dogs in the alley. She said the people in her neighborhood were afraid of the dogs.
Another neighbor told police he saw the dogs attack a man, the warrant states.
Investigators photographed White’s home and saw that a portion of the man’s backyard fence was blown down. Other parts of the fence were in disrepair and had multiple places that a dog could slip through, the warrant states.
White reportedly told police he called Lubbock Animal Services to turn over the dogs, saying he could not care for them and keep them secure.
White showed investigators his call logs that showed he called the service two days before the attack on Garner to arrange a time for him to drop off the animals. He said animal service officials told him they could pick up the animals from his home, but he said he was on his way to the shelter to drop them off. He was told he needed to make an appointment to drop off the animals and the earliest time would have been the morning of March 1.
A statement from Garner’s son was read in court by a prosecutor.
He said White’s carelessness and neglect had a devastating impact on her family, with some members suffering from post traumatic distress disorder and depression.
He said that White was aware of previous attacks involving his dogs and did nothing to stop them.
“Courtney White should get the maximum sentence allowed,” the statement read.
A history of stray dogs in Lubbock
Stangl said his client disputes allegations that his dogs were involved in other attacks.
“He had no information that those dogs had ever been dangerous. At all,” he said. “There was an allegation that later came up that maybe his dog was one of the ones involved. But nothing ever came of it, nobody ever investigated it, he never heard from Lubbock Animal Services.”
He said stray dogs have been an issue in his client’s neighborhood for years.
“Over the years, Courntey had sent me videos and pictures of just packs of dogs just roaming in his area over there,” he said. “It’s a sad situation and it’s a scary situation. When people take walks over there they got to carry clubs with them you shouldn’t have to do that.”
He said he hopes city officials find a solution to the problem.
“I don’t know what the answer is to that problem or what the solution is but something needs to be done so we don’t have to come to court and have these cases,” he said.
The topic has been raised consistently at City Council meetings, with councilmembers proposing ordinances at recent meetings to address them.
During a Jan. 14 meeting, councilman David Glasheen proposed reallocating money from the Animal Control Cost Center to fund an additional animal control officer.
The money would be taken from the Animal Control Service’s fence material purchase grant program, which helps eligible residents maintain their fences.
However, Steven Green the director of Animal Control said at the meeting that his department already has two open spots for animal control officers and would not have enough vehicles for a another one.
He said a majority of the animal bites reported to his department involved pets who have escaped from their homes.
Stangl said that his client was distraught about Garner’s death.
“He feels horrible about it,” he said. “He’s doing everything he can to pick up the pieces. He understands the anger and the hurt that the family feels and he feels horrible for them. but the blame is not his alone.”
Stangl said Garner’s death could have been avoided had Lubbock Animal services officials accepted White’s dogs when he tried to relinquish them.
Stangl described the situation as tragic but said he was relieved he and the Lubbock County District Attorney’s Office were able to work out a deal he believes appropriately holds his client accountable for his part in Garner’s death.
“I’m happy that we got a result for Courtney that allows him to remain free and continue doing the good things he’s doing and have a chance to get this case dismissed when he successfully completes probation,” he said.
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