Good Samaritan Helps Man Being Mauled By Pit Bulls

LAKE ELSINORE (CBSLA.com) — A 53-year-old man being mauled by pit bulls in his front yard Tuesday was fortunate to have a Good Samaritan come to his aid.

The unidentified victim was attacked in the 18000 block of Honey Lane shortly after 4 p.m., according to Sgt. Linda Hughes of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

Deputies say the victim was trying to break up a fight between his pit bull and his roommate's pit bull when the dogs turned on him.

A man driving by saw the attack and crashed his van into the victim's fence to scare the dogs away.

A neighbor called police.

"I just think about it, and it's sad. It's a human, you know," neighbor Carmen Hernandez said. "[The dogs] were just pulling him. I was so scared that I got my dog and came right back, because I had my children in the house."

By the time deputies arrived the attack had ended, but not before leaving the victim with bite wounds to his face, arms and hands. He was transported to a hospital and was listed in critical condition.

Authorities searched the property for the dogs and came across two women who refused to answer any questions.

Aurielle Branca, 20, and Gloria Osborne, 34, were arrested and cited with interfering with a police investigation.

The victim's roommate signed over his dog to be euthanized.

Riverside animal services impounded four adult pit bulls and two puppies. Three of the dogs belong to the victim.

It's not yet clear whether any of the other dogs will be euthanized.

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