Jones County Man Attacked by Dogs; 1 Killed, the Other in Animal Control

GRAY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A 70 year old is at the Medical Center of Central Georgia, recovering from severe dog bite injuries, after he was attacked during one of his routine walks.

The Jones County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating how a pair of mixed breed dogs attacked a man exercising along Greenwood Rd. just off Gray Hwy last Friday.

Neighbors say the victim, 70 year-old William Mote, regularly walked up and down the street.

According to a Sheriff’s report, the dogs belonged to employees at the Anchor Auto Sales nearby, and got loose.

A neighbor saw the attack and helped Mote get into her car.

“The gentleman was able to get into her car after kicking one of the dogs off of his leg,” Chief Deputy Barbara Burnette said.

She said Mote suffered gruesome injuries to both his hands and legs.

Both of the owners of those two mixed breed dogs say the dogs have never done anything like this before.

Even the responding deputies felt threatened.

“The deputies tried to scream, yell, everything to try to get them back in the fence. That wasn’t happening. The dogs actually ran after the deputies and tried to attack and had him hemmed up against his car,” Burnette said.

One of the deputies eventually had to shoot and kill one of the dogs.

“The screaming and hollering trying to get to the man, none of that worked. When the dogs turned around and went to attack them. Then they done what they had to do in order to render him aid,” Burnette said.

Mote is at the medical center recovering.

The other dog in this incident is with Jones County Animal Control. hief Deputy Burnette says pet owners have to stay on top of their pets, no matter the breed, no matter how aggressive a dog may or may not be.

She says animals can attack at any time.