ROY MCSWEENEY DIED AT 4:18 PM WEDNESDAY.. HE LIVED WITH HIS WIFE, SHARON, AT 259 OLD HAWTHORNE RD AND WAS WORKING IN HIS YARD AT THE TIME THE PIT BULLS ATTACKED HIM. THE MCSWEENEY FAMILY HAS RETAINED THE GAINESVILLE LAW FIRM OF AVERA & SMITH , WHICH IS ALSO REPRESENTING ROBERT FLOYD WHO WAS ATTACKED BY THE SAME DOGS LAST YEAR.
IN FEBRUARY, FLOYD FILED SUIT AGAINST DEANNA BLITCH AND BEAU SCURREY, HER BOYFRIEND, AFTER FLOYD WAS ALLEDGEDLY BITTEN BY THE SAME DOGS ON JAN 13, 2010. THE SUIT STATES THAT FLOYD WAS A CARETAKER OF THE PROPERTY AND WAS ATTACKED BY THE DOGS WITHOUT PROVOCATION. THE SUIT ALLEDGES BLITCH AND SCURREY KNEW OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT THE DOGS WERE VICIOUS AND THAT THEY FAILED TO HAVE THEM UNDER ADEQUATE RESTRAINT.
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20110615/ARTICLES/110619770/1-/news?Title=Family-of-mauling-victim-hires-law-firm
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ROY MCSWEENEY – DISABLED FLORIDA VETERAN
FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE AFTER HAVING ARMS AMPUTATED BY 2 PIT BULLS http://www.theblaze.com/stories/pit-bulls-rip-arms-off-74-year-old-disabled-florida-veteran/
Rod and Catina Flynn of the West Putnam Fire Department said that Roy McSwenney was a friend. Rod Flynn was the first emergency responder to the scene. They describe him as a gentle-mannered man with a “WONDERFUL LAUGH”. who picked up trash in the neighborhood and sometimes dropped by the station to chat and that he never met a stranger.
Angela Taylor said she grew up as friends with Roy McSweeney’s daughter and has known him since she was in fifth grade. She described him as a kind man who fed the ducks at the pond at Ochwilla Elementary School and who went out of his way to offer condolences after her father died in 2009.
UPDATE: 74-YEAR-OLD ROY MCSWEENEY WAS DISABLED AND OFTEN GOT AROUND ON A MOTORIZED SCOOTER
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2011/06/11/2011-06-11_pit_bulls_pounce_on_elderly_disabled_florida_man_and_tear_off_his_right_arm.html
“MR. BROUHAHA” – DAN DICKERSON- DEANNA BLITCH’S BROTHER AND HER HOUSE: http://blog.dogsbite.org/
UPDATE: http://www.gainesville.com/article/20110610/ARTICLES/110619976/-1/news?p=1&tc=pg&tc=ar
Roy McSweeney was in his yard doing yard work. The dogs are said to be Pit Bulls or Pit Bull Mixes and the fence containing them was a “thin wire”. An investigator said that the surgery would take up to 8 hours.
HIS RIGHT ARM WAS RIPPED OFF BY THE DOGS. HIS LEFT ARM WAS PARTIALLY REMOVED AND HIS FACE WAS INJURED.
The dogs belong to Deanna Blitch and authorities have twice dealt with her over dog bites. Court records show that Blitch is a defendant in a civil suit in Putnam county regarding negligence and premises liability. It was said that she may have been sued over a previous dog bite. One neighbor says that Blitch’s dogs frequently left the property and come around her front door and growl and bark.
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Friday, June 10, 2011 – Hawthorne FL – In a developing story, a 74-year-old man, Roy McSweeney was attacked by Pit Bulls Friday morning. Putnam County Deputies said that his right arm was amputated, his left arm partially amputated and he suffered severe facial injuries, Deputies were called to the 200 block of Old Hawthorne Road in Hawthorne about 11 am, and found Roy McSweeney severely injured.
McSweeney was taken to Shands Hospital in Gainesville and was in surgery Friday afternoon. The 2 Pit Bulls belonged to his neighbor and they were euthanized and taken to the Putnam County Health Department to be tested for rabies. No further details are available at this time.