A tragic incident unfolded when a man lost his life outside his residence due to a dog’s unintended actions inside a van. James Campbell, a 68-year-old resident of Cantonment, Tampa, Florida, passed away in January 2013 in an unforeseen accident involving his pet dog.
The fatal event occurred as Campbell was assisting his wife in backing their 1995 Chevrolet van into their driveway. While he stepped out to open the driveway gates, leaving the van door ajar, his wife, Iris Fortner, was behind the wheel. Upon opening her door to locate Campbell, their excited pet dog leaped into the driver’s seat, inadvertently pressing the accelerator pedal.
In a split second, the van accelerated backward, striking Campbell and tragically causing his demise. Despite Fortner’s frantic efforts to halt the vehicle, the accident proved fatal, with Campbell being pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders.
Fortner sustained minor injuries and was taken to West Florida Hospital for treatment. No legal charges were filed; however, the incident underscored the peril of a vehicle with a running engine, an unrestrained dog, and being in gear simultaneously.
Interestingly, another peculiar dog-related incident occurred the same month in Miami. A naked intruder was caught attempting to harm a homeowner’s pet Rottweiler, leading to the intruder being shot by the homeowner.
Responding to the situation, the homeowner discharged their firearm, hitting the intruder in the leg before detaining him until law enforcement arrived. Miami Police Department spokesperson Willie Moreno described the incident as a justified response, given the intruder’s irrational behavior and aggression towards the homeowner and the pet dog.