A complaint for damages has been filed against several parties following an attack on a mail carrier by two male boxers in Greenfield this spring.
Submitted photo
HANCOCK COUNTY – A woman attacked by two dogs as she delivered mail in Greenfield this spring has filed a lawsuit against the animals’ owner and organizations she feels are responsible.
Mary Wright filed the complaint for damages in Hancock Circuit Court against Cherie Sirosky, the dogs’ owner; Craig Parsons, the owner of the Greenfield home the dogs were living at; the Hancock County Commissioners; Hancock County Humane Society; and Greenfield-Hancock Animal Management.
Wright was working for the U.S. Postal Service delivering mail in the area near Sirosky’s home in the 10 block of Stevens Court in April when Sirosky’s dogs, named Hank and Doc, attacked her, according to the complaint.
Parsons’ and Sirosky’s negligence caused the attack, the complaint continues, adding the county commissioners owed Wright a duty to protect her safety and to oversee the county humane society and the joint county-city animal management department.
The complaint goes on to state that the humane society and animal management also owed Wright a duty to protect her safety by ensuring that the dogs weren’t a safety concern and if they were, that they wouldn’t “be returned to the same repeat vicious dog owners.”
“The dogs which are the subject of this lawsuit were known to be vicious prior to this attack by the defendants, Hancock County Commissioners, Hancock County Humane Society Incorporated, and Greenfield-Hancock Animal Management, and yet had been returned to the defendants, Craig Parsons and Cherie Sirosky,” the complaint states.
Wright sustained personal injuries from the attack resulting in physical scarring and pain and suffering, and was required to seek medical care, according to the complaint.
Kellie Clarke, a lawyer with Fishers-based Hensley Legal Group who is representing Wright, declined to comment, citing the pending litigation.
A lawyer has yet to be listed in online court records as representing Sirosky or Parsons.
Scott Benkie, Hancock County government’s attorney, declined to comment until reviewing the complaint, adding the county has yet to be served with it.
Gregg Morelock, Greenfield city attorney, said the city has yet to be served as well, but added the matter will be referred to the city’s insurance carrier to fully defend the city in all respects.
After the attack, the two brown and white male boxers were to be euthanized under a city ordinance regarding vicious animals. However, they were taken from Greenfield-Hancock Animal Management’s shelter on U.S. 40 just outside of Greenfield during a break-in in April.
Capt. Robert Harris, public information officer for the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department, said that case remains open.
“Our investigator had suspicions, but no hard evidence or suspects,” he said, adding there may still be potential DNA evidence being processed. “But for now the case is open pending any new leads.”
The attack prompted the U.S. Postal Service this spring to cease delivery to residents living in the area until installing curbside mailboxes.
Sirosky was charged in Hancock County Superior Court 2 with harboring a non-immunized dog, a B misdemeanor, in April. After multiple continuances, the case is set for another pretrial conference on Oct. 28.
