Dog attack may bring charges against owner

A former Houston Texans football player whose dog attacked a neighbor in Sienna Plantation could be facing criminal charges under a Fort Bend County dangerous dogs law.

Sheriff's Lt. Glenn Norell said his office concluded its investigation into an incident that took place March 26 on Bees Creek Court, when two dogs described as pit bulls attacked a woman in her front yard, bit her several times and killed her 9-month-old poodle.

The charges are now being reviewed by the District Attorney's Office, which will decide whether to take the case before a grand jury.

The dogs had escaped from the property of Steve Foley, 32, a former NFL linebacker who played for the Texans in 2003 and more recently for the San Diego Chargers.

District Attorney John Healey said a dangerous dogs law that was updated in 2007 calls for a third-degree felony charge for the owner of a dog that becomes unsecured and causes an unprovoked attack resulting in serious bodily injury.

Meanwhile, a hearing has been scheduled in the court of Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, Place 2 Judge Gary Geick to decide on the fate of the two dogs. They are described in a court document as brown and white male and female pit bulls, and they were seized by county authorities when Foley failed to produce shot records for the dogs upon questioning about the attack.

Also in the document, it is revealed that Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Stephen Pustilnik of the Galveston County Medical Examiner's Office examined the wounds suffered by victim Trisha Weaver, and determined they meet the legal criteria for serious bodily injury.

The hearing is scheduled for Friday morning.