La Pine dog owners cited after pit bulls attack deputy

The La Pine owners of five pit bulls that attacked a Deschutes County sheriff’s deputy investigating reports of aggressive dogs have been cited for maintaining dangerous dogs, deputies said Friday.

The dog’s owner, Charles Williams, was cited Thursday on five counts of maintaining a dangerous Dog and arrested on an unrelated arrest warrant, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Williams was held without bail at the county jail in Bend on the unrelated fourth-degree assault charge, jail records show.

Williams’ wife, Tonya Williams, also was issued a citation in lieu of custody of five counts of maintaining a dangerous dog.

Field Law Enforcement Technician Laura Conard was on duty around 4 p.m. Tuesday when she responded to the 52000 block of Golden Astor Road on a report of several aggressive dogs living at a home there, said patrol Sgt. Mike Sundberg.

“These dogs had been reported as being aggressive toward pedestrians and children getting off the school bus near the residence,” Sundberg said in a news release Friday.

Conard arrived on scene and made contact with the residents, sanding in the driveway of the property. Just minutes later, a pack of five adult pit bulls attacked the deputy, Sundberg said.

“At that time, for some reason they sensed her as a threat and attacked,” patrol Capt. Paul Garrison said.

Conard was able to fight off the dogs, avoiding being pulled to the ground, Sundberg said. She was bitten several times on her right calf, left knee, left upper leg and right wrist, he added said.

Field law enforcement technicians are sworn reserve deputies with peace officer status who help on crashes, animal complaints and similar incidents, as well as code enforcement, said Sgt. Nathan Garibay.

Conard didn’t want to talk on camera but did tell us her boots, vest, and belt saved her from suffering worse injuries, and she held her arms above her head to prevent them from attack.

She said she didn’t euthanize the dogs with her gun because of kids in the area and didn’t use pepper spray due to similar concerns. After a brief struggle, the deputy was able to break free.

La Pine Fire medics checked Conard and she was taken by a fellow deputy to St. Charles Immediate Care in Bend, where she was released later after receiving stitches for a laceration on her wrist and care for the other injuries, Sundberg said.

The dogs were seized for being dangerous and taken to the Humane Society of Central Oregon, where they are being held on a 10-day quarantine.

Conard sent NewsChannel 21 this statement Thursday evening:

“War wounds doing good — colors of the rainbows are pretty and will get even prettier lol. Just sore but ready to get back at it. Thankful for my vest, belts, boots, pants for taking a lot of hits for me.

“And thankful I had the training and mindset to stay on my feet and not get me to the ground like they were trying. My family at work are angels as are our dispatchers!!!!”

“Once I saw the red and blues, I knew it was finally over and the attacks were going to stop. Never wish anyone to experience an attack of five acting as a pack, if you do stay on your feet and remember the pain means your still alive and going to survive, eventually they will stop.”