A young girl from the York County town of Lebanon is expected to recover from her injuries after being attacked Saturday afternoon by two pit bulls.

Two other girls suffered cuts and bruises but were not bitten.

Meanwhile, Maine State Police will consult with the district attorney’s office to decide whether the dog’s owner should face criminal charges, according to Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety.

McCausland said he could not be more specific about the nature of the charges or who might be charged.

Angel Sargent, 12, of 260 River Road suffered several bites to her neck, legs and shoulder, McCausland said. She was rescued by Adam Horr, 41, of Dover, N.H., who was visiting a neighbor.

McCausland said Horr, who also was bitten, heard the girls screaming and ran to help them. He beat the pit bills off Sargent by kicking the dogs and hitting them with a broom.

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“There is little doubt in the trooper’s mind that this man saved the little girl’s life,” McCausland said.

State Police Trooper David Coflesky could not be reached Sunday night but told WMTW-TV in Portland that Sargent sustained several bites to her neck which could have been fatal if Horr had not intervened. Coflesky told the television station that each dog weighed between 50 and 60 pounds.
Horr could not be reached for comment.

According to McCausland, the pit bulls, which are named Jager and Meister after a German liquor, jumped a fence and attacked Sargent, who was playing nearby with her sister and another girl.

The girls were in a yard at the home of Catherine Sargent – Angel’s mother – at 260 River Road when the dogs came after them. The pit bulls are owned by Rory Downs – Catherine Sargent’s fiance.

Trooper Coflesky said the girls climbed onto a pickup truck to escape the animals, according to McCausland.

Horr was bitten by the dogs but was treated at the scene by an ambulance crew and did not need to be hospitalized.

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Angel Sargent was transported to Frisbie Memorial Hospital in Rochester, N.H., where she was treated and released on Sunday, according to McCausland.

McCausland did not know the exact nature of her injuries but said the girl is expected to recover.
Her mother and Downs could not be reached for comment Sunday.

Coflesky said Jager and Meister, who are 7 months old, were taken to the Animal Welfare Society shelter in West Kennebunk. He said the dogs were placed in quarantine because they are not up to date on their shots.

Coflesky said the pit bulls had been raised in the family since they were puppies and had not exhibited aggressive behavior in the past. There were two other dogs at the home when the attack took place, but those dogs were not involved.

Staff Writer Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 791-6365 or at:

dhoey@pressherald.com


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