Bibb County Family Files Civil Suit After Man Severely Injured In Dog Attack

CENTREVILLE, AL — A Bibb County couple has filed a civil lawsuit claiming they were brutally attacked by their neighbors’ dogs, leaving one man with catastrophic injuries and his wife traumatized after witnessing the attack.

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The complaint, filed Sept. 25 in Bibb County Circuit Court, names William B. Mitchell and Lacey Mitchell of Centreville as defendants, along with several unnamed parties.

Plaintiffs Jamie Wilson Boyd and his wife, Martha J. Boyd, allege negligence, wantonness, strict liability and emotional distress, and are seeking compensatory and punitive damages

According to the lawsuit, filed by Paul Patterson and North Patterson of Tuscaloosa’s Patterson Law Firm, Jamie Boyd was walking to his mailbox on Ingate Road in Centreville on Sept. 24 when the Mitchells’ pit bulls charged and mauled him.

The filing states the attack allegedly tore away his scalp, shredded muscle tissue in his arms and legs, and caused “horrific and life-threatening injuries,” including the loss of about 50% of his muscle tissue.

The legal counsel representing the family says Jamie Boyd is expected to require multiple surgeries, prolonged hospitalization and faces permanent disfigurement.

The complaint also describes how Martha Boyd, who has limited mobility, watched the attack from the couple’s front porch and tried to intervene before falling. One of the dogs reportedly charged her, prompting law enforcement officers at the scene to fire a weapon to drive it away.

Martha Boyd also claims to have suffered severe emotional trauma from witnessing the attack and feared for her own safety.

In the civil suit, the Boyds accuse the Mitchells of failing to restrain or confine their dogs despite allegedly knowing the animals were dangerous. They also cited Alabama dog bite statutes and common law negligence in the filing.

Included in the lawsuit is a “tort of outrage” claim, asserting that the defendants’ conduct was so extreme and reckless that it exceeded the bounds of decency.

The suit seeks damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, permanent scarring, and future care costs.

The Boyds have also requested a jury trial.

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