UNIONTOWN, Pa. — Police said a 52-year-old man died after he was attacked by a dog in his home early Thursday morning.
Just before 1 a.m., Homer Utterback's girlfriend heard what sounded like something falling. She told officers she got up to see what the noise was, and found Utterback on the floor with the dog on top of him biting his neck.
Police said by the time emergency medical services arrived, he was dead.
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Utterback's girlfriend, according to police, said the dog was their pet for about a decade and was Utterback's best friend.
Investigators said Utterback suffered from seizures, and they believe he had an episode, fell out of bed and that was when the dog attacked.
Officers told Channel 11 the dog was taken to a local kennel but the animal will be put down.
"I was shocked. I was so shocked. I don't even know how to explain it," said family friend Kelsey Matlock.
Police said they do not yet know what triggered the dog, Petey, to start attacking Utterback.
"It's a tragedy. I hate to see it," said Lt. Thomas Kolencik with Uniontown Police.
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