Pack of Wild Dogs Maul Man in Western Florida

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on February 10, 2015

A DeFuniak Springs, Florida woman is facing charges after a pack of dogs attacked and seriously injured a man on New Year’s Day.

Forty-nine year old Phillip Lieberman wanted to go for a leisurely stroll. He put on a light coat and walked out the door of his DeFuniak Springs, Florida home on January 1st. He was walking down Scout Road when he saw a group of dogs, which he described as pit bull mixes. The dogs came toward him and started to growl. Before Lieberman could do anything, the six dogs attacked him. Lieberman fought back, punching and kicking the dogs, focusing specifically on what he thought was the alpha male. He was knocked to the ground several times. He estimated that the attack lasted 20 to 25 minutes.

He was able to get the dogs to back away for a just moment as a truck drove up. By that point, Lieberman was covered in blood, and it is estimated that he had been bitten 600 times.

The driver of the truck and another vehicle that pulled up seconds later were able to drive the dogs away. A call was placed to 911 and deputies from Walton County Sheriff’s Office arrived within minutes. According to reports, the dogs were close to the scene of the attack at the time that deputies arrived.

Lieberman was transported to North Okaloosa County Medical Center and required several surgeries to recover from the injuries. He spent over a week in intensive care.

Geraldine Kay Pearce owned the dogs. Investigators searched her residence and found numerous other animals. They removed 40 dogs from the woman’s home and took them to the local animal control facility. During the investigation, it was revealed that three other dog bites had been reported by dogs that were owned by Pearce. The police report states that the “un-socialized dogs were allowed to run free, in packs, on and within the vicinity of her property, without regard to public safety.” Pearce was aware that the dogs had a propensity to bite people but let the dogs roam anyway.

On January 30, Pearce was arrested and charged with six misdemeanor counts of culpable negligence.

If you or a loved one has been injured by a Florida dog bite, contact us today at 877-FL-INJURY (877-354-6587) for a free initial consultation.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.