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Dog attacks firefighter trying to help 80-year-old trapped in RV, Florida cops say
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A firefighter responding to an RV crash in Escambia County was attacked by one of the driver’s dogs, according to Florida deputies. The driver was arrested.
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A firefighter was attacked by a dog while trying to rescue an 80-year-old woman trapped inside an RV that crashed, Florida authorities said.
Now, the dog owner faces charges.
On April 3, Escambia County first responders arrived at the scene where an RV had run off the road, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
The driver said his 80-year-old mom was trapped inside, and his two dogs were inside as well, deputies said. The owner told officials the dogs “were aggressive and would attack if they felt threatened.”
Deputies asked the 47-year-old man to get his dogs out of the RV, and he did so but didn’t keep the dogs on a leash, according to deputies. A firefighter tried to enter the RV to get the woman out when one of the dogs attacked from behind and began to bite him, deputies said.
A deputy shot and killed the dog, authorities said.
Another deputy who arrived on the scene after the shooting found the man “distraught and crying,” according to an arrest report in Escambia County records.
The second dog was leashed, and deputies said they asked the man to tie the dog to a tree. The man wouldn’t listen to commands and placed the dog between himself and law enforcement, according to reports.
A deputy deployed a stun gun, citing fear that the man would release the dog if they tried to take him into custody, deputies said. He was treated at the scene and taken to jail.
The woman trapped inside the RV is in “good health,” deputies wrote in an update, adding that animal control took in the dog.
The man was booked in Escambia County jail on charges of reckless disregard by a dog owner, resisting arrest without violence and hindering the duties of a law enforcement officer. His attorney information is not available in case records.
McClatchy News reached out to Escambia County Fire Rescue to learn the firefighter’s condition but did not immediately receive a response April 4.
Escambia County is the westernmost county of Florida’s Panhandle and borders Alabama.
What to know about dog attacks
“Dogs give us comfort, companionship, exercise, entertainment, and unconditional love,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. “But it’s important to remember that any dog can bite, even trusted family pets.”
Dogs bite more than 4.5 million people each year in the U.S., and nearly 800,000 of those people need medical attention, according to the CDC.
Any dog can bite if they feel scared or nervous, or if they want to be alone. You should never approach a dog that seems angry or scared, the CDC said.
If an unfamiliar dog comes up to you, officials say you should:
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Stay calm and be still.
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Avoid eye contact with the dog.
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Don’t panic or make loud noises. Don’t run.
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Say “no” or “go home” in a deep voice. Stand with the side of your body toward the dog.
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Slowly raise your hands to your neck and back away slowly.
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Olivia Lloyd
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