Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Father, son charged in Whittier pit bull attack

WHITTIER, CA -- A father and son were charged Tuesday in connection with the beating of a Whittier man who was set upon by a pit bull that bit off the tips of his ears.

The attack took place Saturday morning when the 43-year-old victim was confronted by a 17-year-old boy who demanded his wallet as he walked in front of an apartment building in the 8900 block of Painter Avenue in Whittier, authorities said.

The man refused and the pair began fighting in front of Crestwood Apartments near Lambert Road, said officials with the Whittier Police Department said.

During the altercation, the boy's father, identified as 51-year-old Richard Rudy Aragon, came to the boy's aid and released the pit bull, who bit both ear tips off the victim.

Prosecutors claim father and son punched and kicked the victim while the dog attacked.

Prosecutors charged Aragon with one count of mayhem and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon -- the pit bull -- likely to cause great bodily injury.

Aragon, who was being held on $130,000 bail and will be arraigned Tuesday, faces a maximum sentence of up to 12 years in state prison.

The teen, whose name was not released because he is a minor, was charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon -- his foot -- with force likely to inflict great bodily injury, one count of attempted robbery and one count of witness intimidation.

He was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday at Los Padrinos Juvenile Court, prosecutors said.

(Los Angeles Times - June 28, 2011)

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