Dog and Neighbor attack 
March 19th, 2010
Since last September, 2009 we have had a problem with two very aggressive dogs running loose in the neighborhood.  These dogs belong to Chris and Kenneth Rider who reside at 34505 Torregano Road in St. Tammany Parish.  These dogs a Jack Russell Terrier and a Beagle coming and charging at you, barking, growling and bearing their teeth.  They have cornered me and my husband at my front steps so I couldn't leave my house, they have rushed us at our mailbox and in our garage numerous times.  

After one of these episodes in late September my husband called and spsoke with Mrs Rider about keeping the dogs under control and reminding her that there is a leash law in this parish.  They kept the dogs in their front patio for a while and although they would bark and make a lot of noise I thought it safe to walk again.  A couple of weeks later I was walking my dog (always on leash) a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and their dogs were on the loose again.  They came rushing out and attacked my little dog jumping on her biting and growling.  When I tried to get them off of her they turned and attacked me and one of them drew blood on my ankle.  While this was going on a young man was getting out of a car in the Rider's driveway.  He saw what was happening and made no attempt to help but went inside and closed the door.

This is when we decided it was time to call Animal Control Services, which I did immediately.  The report was taken and in a day or so Animal Services dispatched Lisa (985-201-0004) to the Rider home.  She let me know by phone when she arrived there.  No one answered the door so she left them an official notice of the complaint, the Leash Law, etc.

After that they began to put the dogs on a tether in the front yard on a long rope so they can almost reach the street (there is no sidewalk) and continue to bark and intimidate passers by.  They have also continued to allow the dogs to run loose at times. (Mrs. Rider said that they turn them loose at night to get exercise)  That way we never know if the dogs are out or not.

Which led up to the following episode:
On the evening of Friday, March 19, 2010 my husband, Emmett ( Pete) Dammon, was taking our dog out for a walk shortly after dark.  One of the dogs charged at him and caused him to fall on the steps and hit his back and head (my husband and I are 79 years old).  He came back inside and said that he was going to get in a tub of hot water to try to keep his back from hurting too much.  He had back surgery last Spring (2009).  While he was in the tub I called the Rider home to tell them what had happened.  They did not answer the phone so I left a message for Mrs Rider, "Chris, this is Maxine Dammon.  One of your dogs just charged at Pete and caused him to fall and hurt his back and head and we are not going to put up with this anymore."  Those were my exact words.  A few minutes later I heard someone coming up my front stairs.  I thought it was probably Mrs Chris Rider who is a nurse, coming to see if Pete was OK.  Instead when I opened the door I was facing Kenneth Rider and two other men behind him.  He immediately began to yell and scream at me waving his arms around, poking his finger at me at me saying how dare I call his house and leave such a message, his dogs didn't do anything, etc., etc.  Then he began to curse and called me a "mean snobbish bitch" several times.  I told him to get out twice and he ignored this.  He became extremely verbally abusive to me,which frightened me so I attempted to close and lock my front door to keep him away from me.  When he realized what I was doing he shouted "You are not going to close that door" and he began pushing against it.  I had almost succeeded in getting it shut when he gave the door a violent shove and the door came suddenly open pushing me back hard.  I did not fall because I was able to hang on but the door hit me when he forced it open so violently.  By this time my husband heard what was happening and came downstairs and Mr. Rider began to scream at him and tell him what a bitch I am, his dogs didn't do anything and so on.  My husband told me to call the police.  All this time the other two men just stood there and watched.  Finally Mrs Rider walked up and got her husband to leave.  We spoke with her calmly for a few minutes and then came inside and called the Sheriff's office to report the incident.

A Deputy was dispatched to our home and interviewed my husband and myself and then went to the Rider's. When he came back to our house he told us that he had read him his rights and charged him with assault and criminal trespassing.  He also stated the Mr. Rider was intoxicated.  He said that he did not speak with the other two men.

I did not realize until the next day that I was injured.  Bruises showed up the next day. The top of my left hand was badly bruised and very discolored from my fingers almost to my wrist and my right wrist has a lump on it that is very sore and badly discolored. As soon as I could on Monday, March 22nd I got an appointment with my Doctor, James Newcomb, to examine my injuries.  He sent me for X-rays of my left hand and right wrist.  He also gave me orders for my husband to have his back X-rayed.  As I write this it is Wed. March 24th and we are waiting to hear the results of the exams.
Another neighbor said that after the dog incident and the sheriffs` talking to the Riders on Friday night, they ( Riders) had a party that lasted until the wee hours of the morning
Additionally, I want to add that the two dogs were right back in my yard on Sunday morning following the incident..

Maxine S. Dammon