Avon Woman Charged After Dog Mauls Elderly Man: West Hartford Police

WEST HARTFORD, CT — An Avon woman faces several charges in connection to a recent incident in which her dog violently attacked an elderly man in West Hartford, according to police. West Hartford Police arrested Katherine Stevenson, 41, on a warrant Tuesday night at her home in Avon. The arrest stems from a July 17 incident on Iroquois Road in which William Chesanek, 78, was attacked by a boxer mix causing injuries to his ribs, hand, biceps and a fractured pelvis.

Officers responded to Iroquois Road to find several witnesses holding down the dog and assisting the victim. The dog allegedly was able to get free from the home it was in and returned to Chesanek after each time it was pulled off, police previously said.

The owner, Stevenson, decided to euthanize her dog. Both Stevenson and Chesanek were visiting separate homes on Iroquois Road when the attack occurred, according to police.

Police said on Wednesday morning that following an extensive investigation by the West Hartford Animal Control it was learned that the dog in this case had a “long history of aggressive behavior, having violently attacked two people in the past.”

The dog was currently under a restraint order issued by Avon Animal Control where it was supposed to be wearing a basket muzzle and a full harness with a control leash attached, according to police.

Police said Stevenson failed to secure the dog as required by the restraint order and “the dog again attacked an innocent victim,” this time on Iroquois Road.

Stevenson was arrested on charges of second-degree assault of an elderly person, first-degree reckless endangerment, violation of a restraint order, nuisance dog by means of vicious disposition and roaming dog. She is being held on a $10,000 bond and has a scheduled court date of Aug. 3.

Pictured: Katherine Stevenson, 41, of Avon / West Hartford Police Department