Pit-bull owner cited twice before, could face felony charges

The owner of two pit bulls that mauled a Pierce County woman in her home and killed another dog has been cited twice in the past three years for letting the dogs run loose in the neighborhood, according to district-court records.

Now the dogs likely will be euthanized, and their owner could face felony charges.

Pierce County sheriff's deputies have previously visited the owner's home outside of Gig Harbor, according to spokesman Ed Troyer, posting multiple warnings on the door about the dogs running loose.

Sue Gorman, 59, said that several months ago the pit bulls entered her home through an open door and she managed to force them back out.

At 9 a.m. Tuesday, though, the animals surprised Gorman as she slept in bed, biting her face, chest and limbs. She is expected to remain hospitalized until at least Friday after the mauling that Pierce County animal-control officer Brian Boman called "the worst attack in my career in animal control."

Gorman said she has called 911 several times in the past six to nine months about the larger pit bull, Betty.

"She's so vicious, she should be destroyed," said Gorman of Betty. "There's nothing to keep her from doing it again."

Troyer said Betty and another pit bull were taken into custody Tuesday and will likely be killed. One of the dogs has already been signed over to be destroyed, he said, and the county will seek a court order to destroy the other one if it does not receive the owner's permission.

The dogs entered Gorman's home through a sliding-glass door she leaves partially open so her cats and small sheltie dog can pass through. The sheltie is a service dog Gorman has because she suffers partial seizures.

Tuesday morning, Gorman said, she had forgotten to lock it in that position and the pit bulls pushed it open, probably pursuing her sheltie or a neighbor's Jack Russell terrier that they eventually killed.

Gorman tried to fight them off with a stick and a handgun that would not fire, eventually escaping to her car where she called 911.

According to Washington state law, a dog owner is liable for damages to a bitten person, "regardless of the former viciousness of such dog or the owner's knowledge of such viciousness."

Prosecutors may also charge a dog owner with a felony if the dog attacks and seriously injures a person. That charge is punishable by up to five years in prison and fines of up to $10,000, but prosecutors must prove "that the owner of the dog either knew or should have known that the dog was potentially dangerous."

Pierce County prosecutors have not yet filed charges in the case. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Phil Sorenson said Wednesday afternoon that law-enforcement officials had not yet referred the case to him.

Brad Haynes: 206-464-3301 or bhaynes@seattletimes.com