By Jim Wallace - bio | email
ALBANY, GA (WALB) - Two dogs visciously attacked a 75 year old Lee County man in front of his house today.
A neighbor heard his cries for help, and came to his rescue, using the only weapons he had, his flip flops, to fight off the attacking dogs.
Frederick Hughes says he is not a hero, just a good neighbor, but he proved he is both. Hughes was in his home on Woodrick Court, off Philema Road, when he heard cries for help.
Frederick Hughes says he heard cries for help around 10:30 Friday morning and looked outside to see his neighbor, 75-year-old Jim Houston, on the ground and fighting for his life.
"He had this dog on his arm right," Hughes said. "And he had his puppy, his little yorkie, in this arm. And he was fighting this dog with this elbow. And that dog was lunging in at him. And he was fighting this dog with this arm. And he was screaming for help."
Hughes, a Gulf War Army Veteran and Girl Scout Troop Leader, didn't hesitate and ran to help.
"I stood right over the top of him right here," Hughes said. "I looked at these dogs and I said what am I going to do? I reached down and took my flip flops off, and I smacked that one in the head. And I came around this way and started swinging at this one."
Hughes said Houston injured his hip when he fell, and couldn't get up.
The dogs continued to attack for another 15 minutes. He says he remembered a WALB news story he had seen, about what to do in a dog attack.
"Everything that WALB had taught me about dogs, to stand up, to face them, yell at them. I just started swinging at them."
Finally neighbors heard Hughes cries for help, and called animal control and an ambulance. Houston is in good condition at an Albany hospital. The two dogs were captured, and are now being held at the animal control office.
Hughes said it was just God's will that he was home. "The Good Lord. I should have been at work today working overtime. But I stayed home to help my wife. And I tell you what, I was just in the right place at the right time to help somebody out."
Hughes says he is not a hero, but I tell you he is. He did not suffer any injuries. He says those two dogs have been a nuisance in his neighborhood before, and it was lucky he was there with his flip flops to save his neighbor.
Lee County animal control officers this afternoon had identified the dog's owner, but have not been able to locate him yet.
They say he will likely be charged criminally.
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