3 hospitalized after 5 pit bulls attack

KENTWOOD, Mich. (WOOD) - Three people were hospitalized Sunday morning after being attacked by five of their own pit bulls.

It happened around 9 a.m. in the 4300 block of Forest Way Drive, near East Paris and 36th Street.

The owners of the dogs, 29-year-old Christopher Griffin and 20-year-old Jacqueline Potts, had been visiting friends living in the Eastland apartment complex on Saturday night when they ran out of gas as they were leaving. They decided to spend the night in their Jeep Grand Cherokee with the dogs.

Police say the couple had been living in the Jeep.

On Sunday morning, Griffin contacted his father, Floyd Griffin, who said he would bring gas. When he showed up, the dogs started fighting in the vehicle, and one escaped and attacked Floyd Griffin.

"He actually had me on the ground over here, he had me on the ground, he had my foot actually, he was actually whipping me back and forth," Floyd Griffin said at the scene. "All over the pavement. You can see my blood over there on the side."

Christopher Griffin and and Potts tried to prevent the dogs from fighting, but were hurt.

"As (Floyd Griffin) approached the car to put gas into the car, the dogs got into a fight," said Sgt. Douglas Wegener of the Kentwood Police Department. "The boyfriend and girlfriend got into a fight, and the dogs turned on them and attacked them."

Christopher Griffin suffered a bite to his right hand, and had large puncture wounds across his three middle fingers. His middle finger lost feeling. He also was bitten on the wrist, and his left bicep had a 5-inch puncture wound.

Potts was more seriously injured. Her right wrist and and hand were bloody and bitten. Her wrist was fractured in the attack.

The dog that attacked Floyd Griffin did damage as well. His right forearm was bitten and he suffered a puncture wound about 4 inches long.

Although none of the injuries were life threatening, Christopher Griffin and Potts were taken to the hospital by ambulance. Floyd Griffin drove himself to receive medical attention.

Four of the pit bulls were controlled by the owners when police arrived, but one, Sweet Pea, ran away. The dog later came back and was taken by animal control.

The dogs will stay in quarantine for at least the next 10 days. Whether the dogs will be put to sleep is up to Kent County animal control.

Before he went to the hospital, Floyd Griffin said this attack might have been avoidable.

"I've warned (Christopher Griffin) about this before, and they came out and came around the corner and jumped up and attacked me," he said. "In fact, I'm ready to go over to emergency. It's probably gonna need some stitches."