Detroit Dog Owner Pleads Guilty In Brutal Mauling Of Man

DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - A Detroit dog owner has pleaded guilty in the brutal mauling of a man who was attacked while feeding a pack of pit bulls.

Steve Constantine lost most of his left arm, his left leg below the knee and his left ear last fall.
The Wayne County prosecutor's office says Derick Felton pleaded guilty Thursday to harboring dangerous animals that caused injuries. A judge says he's likely to get probation when he's sentenced on Sept. 25.

"This is my life right now, I guess, and that's just about how it works. This is my life and (I'm) still moving forward," he said in a 2014 interview as he sat in a wheelchair at Select Specialty Hospital in Mount Clemens. "I don't know for sure here I'm going to end up.

"I'm hoping I end up independent or where I can rely on myself mostly."

Vijay Malaichamy, senior rehabilitation manager at Select Specialty Hospital, noted that "Steve is always very upbeat" and "that positive attitude is going to help him tremendously to overcome the challenges he's going to face during his progress."

The 51-year-old Constantine was trying to feed Felton's dogs when he was attacked. Police killed one dog at the scene. Eleven other pit bulls or pit bull mixes were captured and euthanized.

In May, a judge awarded $100 million to Constantine in a civil lawsuit, but he's not expected to collect that amount.

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