A James City County man has been formally charged in connection to a dog attack that left one terrier dead and another injured earlier this month, according to James City County Police.
Aaron Christopher Ripley, 19, an owner of two pit bulls that allegedly attacked two terriers on Wedgewood Drive, was served on a releasable charges Tuesday, James City County Police spokeswoman Stephanie Williams said.
The second owner of the dogs has not been formally charged yet, Williams said around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Williams said Ripley is charged with ownership of a dangerous dog, two counts of permitting a dog to roam and no current rabies vaccination. He is scheduled to appear in court April 14 at 10 a.m., according to online Williamsburg-James City County General District Court records.
The second owner is charged with dog at-large and ownership of a dangerous dog.
Police responded to Wedgewood Drive Dec. 11 after receiving a complaint about three dogs running at large in the neighborhood, Williams said.
Police were told that two of the loose dogs, both females, had attacked two West Highland White terriers that were walking with their owner. The third at-large dog, which is a mixed breed and was not identified as a pit bull, did not participate in the attack, Williams said.
After the attack, the two dogs were taken to an emergency vet clinic, where one died, she said.
The two pit bulls were seized by animal control from Ripley and the other owner’s house on Centerville Road. The third dog was not seized and was left at the home, Williams said.
Police said the owners told them the dogs had gotten out of a fence.
