New Middletown bird owner faces suit

YOUNGSTOWN -- In a lawsuit filed Wednesday, Lenore K. and James Nagle of Pine Tree Lane, Youngstown, are seeking more than $500,000 in damages from Douglas B. Taylor of Youngstown-Pittsburgh Road, who owned the bird. The case is assigned to Mahoning County Common Pleas CourtJudge Robert Lisotto.
The suit says Mrs. Nagle was hurt when the bird, which was "flying free at large," attacked her and knocked her down in June 2000. She was near Taylor's property in New Middletown at the time, said her lawyer, John A. McNally III.
Injury: McNally said the woman fell forward onto pavement when the bird attacked her and she suffered a fractured skull. The suit says Taylor was negligent in not confining the bird. It also seeks more than $1 million in damages from USAA Insurance of San Antonio, Texas, which insures Taylor.
Taylor, who is an attorney, said he'd owned the bird, a green conure named Kiko, for about two years. He put Kiko outside every morning before he went to work and the bird would fly home in the evening.
He said Kiko would regularly fly across the street to visit a businessman who worked outside, often spending most of the day there.
On the day in question, Kiko was sitting on a telephone line above the business, Taylor said. Mrs. Nagle pulled up, apparently to ask for directions. The bird flew down from its perch when she got out of her car.
He said the woman apparently was startled and began flailing her arms to fend off Kiko, lost her balance and fell.
Kiko "flew the coop" about nine months ago and has not returned, Taylor said.
bjackson@vindy.com