A Texas resident has filed a lawsuit against a dog owner, alleging severe injuries from an unprovoked dog attack. Tionno Washington lodged the complaint in Harris County District Court on June 10, 2024, accusing Abraham Rios of negligence and seeking damages exceeding $250,000.
According to the court documents, Washington was making an Amazon delivery at Rios's residence on April 29, 2024. Upon arrival, he found the gate locked and tossed the package over it as instructed. As he turned to leave, Rios's unrestrained dog allegedly escaped through the front gate and bit Washington on his ankle. The incident left Washington with a deep puncture wound that required urgent medical attention, including stitches and vaccinations.
Washington claims that Rios knew his dog had aggressive tendencies but failed to take necessary precautions to restrain it. "Defendant knew his dog had a propensity to be vicious towards others," the complaint states. It further alleges that Rios did not comply with local authorities regarding quarantining the dog after the attack.
The plaintiff is pursuing multiple claims for relief against Rios, including negligent handling of animals, strict liability, gross negligence, and premises liability. Washington argues that Rios breached his duty of care by failing to confine or restrain his dog properly. "Defendant owed a duty to exercise reasonable care to prevent his dog from injuring others," the document asserts.
Washington seeks compensation for various damages such as past and future medical expenses, physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of wage-earning capacity, and disfigurement. Additionally, he is asking for punitive damages due to what he describes as gross negligence on Rios's part. "Punitive damages should be assessed against him as a deterrent to such future bad conduct," Washington’s petition reads.
The case is being handled by attorneys Justin A. Hill, Sara Neil Hillis, and Gabriel A. Neves from Hill Law Firm in San Antonio. The presiding judge for this case is yet to be determined under Case ID 2024-36741 in Harris County District Court.