Pit bull defends elderly owner during attack by naked man in NH

By Kimberly Bookman

MANCHESTER, N.H. (WHDH) - A Manchester man is being held in preventative detention after police found him standing naked next to the bloodied body of another man early Sunday morning.

Donald Pierce, 55, faces multiple charges after police say he assaulted two people, including an 86-year-old man, and injured a pit bull.

Manchester police responded to Pine Avenue on July 7 at 1 a.m. following report of a domestic incident.

“Arriving officers heard someone yelling for help in the rear of 38 Pine Ave and located two men,” police said in a statement. “One was lying on a porch covered in blood and the other standing next to him, completely naked.”

According to officials, the naked man, later identified as Pierce, “started yelling at police, making threats, and charging at officers.” Multiple taser deployments and several officers were necessary to successfully subdue the suspect.

Later, authorities learned that Pierce had earlier in the day been involved in a physical altercation with a woman at a nearby home.

“Afterwards he encountered an 86-year-old man who was letting his dog out,” police said in a statement. “Pierce assaulted the man, hitting him with his fists and a chair. He also injured the man’s dog. The victim was taken to a local hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.”

The 86-year-old man, who identified himself as Ned Tarmey, said his dog Kane barked to warn him as Pierce came into the house.

“[Pierce] basically came out of the dark … he was screaming nonsense, ‘I’m gonna kill you,’ or whatever and literally started attacking him — completely unprovoked, no reason,” said Chad Ardizzoni, a relative of Tarmey.

Tarmey’s family said Kane attacked Pierce, protecting Tarmey from him.

“He bit him, latched on, held him down,” Ardizzoni said.

Ron Clement, Tarmey’s neighbor, said police officers used a taser on the dog to get him to release his grip on Pierce. The taser mark is visible through Kane’s fur.

“You saved my life. Yes, you did,” Tarmey could be seen on video telling his dog in the hospital room.

Tarmey is recovering from a brain bleed, a broken arm, broken bones in his face, and a broken collarbone. It was later determined that Pierce and Tarmey did not know each other.

Pierce was charged with first degree assault, second degree assault – domestic violence, felony criminal threatening, felony criminal mischief, four counts simple assault, criminal trespass, indecent exposure, misdemeanor criminal mischief, cruelty to animals, and resisting arrest.

Pierce is being held pending a July 16 probable cause hearing.

Full Article & Source:
Pit bull defends elderly owner during attack by naked man in NH