Key West City Commissioner's Dogs Mauls Kids - "Should Elected Officials Set Example"?

Key West,Florida -

Family had reportedly left dog unattended for the weekend. Children, ages 15 and 10, Seriously Injured.

WILL KOLHAGE PAY MEDICAL EXPENSES?

HE WON’T SAY 'KWTN' Team Report in Key West, Florida ...

City Commissioner, Danny Kolhage has been ordered to appear in the County Court on August 16 to face possible charges after his 19-month-old male French Mastiff weighing more than 100 pounds, mauled two children near his home on 20Th Terrace last Friday.

According to witnesses, a 15-year-old girl, a visitor from Pennsylvania, was standing in front of her aunt’s house on 20Th Terrace shortly after 9 pm, when the dog, apparently roaming the neighborhood unattended, attacked her from behind.

Blayne Weller, who lives on Riviera Drive, told police officers that he saw the dog jump on the girl’s back, knock her to the ground and begin biting her face and arms.

Weller said he ran to the girl’s assistance and with some difficulty was able to pull the dog off the girl. Other witnesses said the dog mauled the girl for more than a minute before Weller could pull him off.

The dog then ran down the street, Weller said. But he soon returned and attacked a 10-year-old boy, a cousin of the girl who had been previously attacked. The dog bit the boy on the shoulder and took him to the ground.

The two victims were transported by ambulance to Lower Keys Medical Center. According to police reports, the 15-year-old girl had severe puncture marks on the right side of her face and next to her ear, and multiple puncture marks under her chin. Her right hand also had multiple bite marks and she had abrasions on her legs from being pulled to the ground.

The 10-year-old boy had puncture marks on his right shoulder and his right arm, along with abrasions to his legs from being pulled to the ground.

This is not the first time that the Kolhage dog has bitten a neighbor. Knowles’ son showed officers a scar left when the dog bit his arm six months ago. That incident had not been reported.

The Kolhages are quoted as telling her that they had never had any problems with the dog. “They said he has never bitten anyone,” Lipinsky wrote. Lipinsky then told the Kolhages that she had already received information about the dog biting the Knowles boy six months earlier. Mrs. Kolhage then said she recalled the incident, but said that Knowles had taunted the dog with his skateboard, according to Lipinsky’s report.

KWTN sent Kolhage a fax asking if he had offered to pay for the medical expenses for the two children. At press time, he had not responded.

Edited and abridged for E.A. read it a here >>