LINCOLN CITY, Ore. (KOIN) – A woman is expected in court Thursday on allegations that she used a dog as a deadly weapon, according to prosecutors.
Shelbi Ronelle Smith is scheduled to appear in Lincoln County Court for a preliminary hearing. She is currently charged with one count of first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault and third-degree assault and one count of menacing.
The charges were filed against her in early June.
Deputies with the sheriff’s office tell KOIN that they responded to a disturbance in the 200 block of North Deer Drive on June 4 in which it was reported that a dog was used as a weapon in a significant assault.
The victim told deputies that she had gone to the residence that Smith was reportedly “squatting in” to find out if her boyfriend was there. Smith reportedly opened the door with a metal pipe in her hand.
The two women started fighting, according to deputies. At that point, Smith is accused of ordering a dog to attack the victim by saying “Get her!”
The dog, named Boy, immediately started attacking the woman. The victim told investigators that she believed the dog was trying to bite her neck and that only putting her right forearm up prevented the dog from doing so.
While “Boy” was attacking the victim, Smith was reportedly laughing and stated “haha, you f-ing b–, you got what you deserved,” according to deputies.
The dog only stopped attacked the victim when Smith ordered him to stop “with a single word in another language and the dog immediately obeyed.”
Deputies described the victim’s injuries as “extensive.”
Investigators later spoke with two witnesses who both confirmed hearing Smith order the dog to attack the victim, records show.
When deputies eventually located and arrested Smith, she reportedly told them “I am innocent,” according to court documents. She also admitted to being involved with the fight, but said that the alleged victim was the one who instigated the fight.
Court documents didn’t state what happened to the dog after the attack. KOIN is looking to find out and will update this story with information when it becomes available.