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Jailed owner: Will put dog down
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UNDER CONTROL: Detective Sgt. Mike Lambert of the Youngstown Police Department removes a Rottweiler dog from a Donald Avenue home on the city’s West Side. Police suspect the dog attacked a 10-year-old boy Tuesday. Lambert removed the animal Wednesday afternoon.
The boy’s mother said he is home recovering from the attack.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN — The owner of a large Rottweiler dog that attacked a boy will have to come up with $10,000 before he is released from Mahoning County jail.
Police charged Nathan Haynes, 31, of Judson Avenue, with two misdemeanors for reportedly not properly confining his dog, and two felonies, one for reportedly not confining the dog and another for the dog making the reported attack Tuesday on a 10-year-old boy.
Tracy Davis, the boy’s mother, said her son is recovering at home. She said the wound to his arm has been stitched, but is not completely closed because doctors want it to properly drain. The family is hoping the boy’s emotional scars can heal as well.
“He is shaken up and has had a few nightmares, but he is coming along well,” Davis told Judge Elizabeth Kobly at a hearing Wednesday in Youngstown Municipal Court.
Haynes walked into court wearing a jogging suit and casual shoes, but after his arraignment before Judge Kobly, officers led him away to jail wearing handcuffs and leg shackles.
Judge Kobly set bond at $5,000 cash or surety for each felony count against Haynes. She also ordered Haynes to keep the dog confined as a condition of his bond.
“If this dog gets loose just one time, you are going to get arrested, your bond will be forfeited, and you are going to sit in jail,” the judge added.
Haynes told the judge that keeping the dog confined would be a moot point because he had plans on putting the animal down immediately. He said this is the second time the dog has bit someone, and he cannot condone that type of action.
“I have had [dogs] all my life, too, your honor, and this is the first time this has happened to me,” Haynes added.
Dave Nelson, county dog warden, told the court the dog had not been taken into custody before Haynes was arraigned, but by late Wednesday afternoon that had changed.
Nelson said he was planning to search three homes used by Haynes to determine where the Rottweiler was being housed and if Haynes had other animals.
Nelson and police surrounded a house in the 2000 block of Donald Avenue on the West Side and took possession of the dog.
Nelson said Haynes originally was arrested on an outstanding warrant involving an attack by the same dog in July 2009. In that case, the dog bit a man in the buttocks.
Police discovered the warrant dated Oct. 28, 2009.
The felony charges stem from the attack on the 10-year-old boy.
Police said the boy was walking from the old Stambaugh School up the street when the dog broke loose from its chain at 2339 Donald Ave. and attacked him. The boy said he was not trying to call the dog or get its attention when the dog rushed him.
The dog grabbed the boy’s forearm, pulled him to the ground and began dragging him around, police said.
jgoodwin@vindy.com