THUNDER BAY -- The trial for a man charged in a dog-bite incident scheduled to wrap Monday has been adjourned until December.
Frank Vantroba, 59, faces a charge of criminal negligence causing bodily harm after his Old English bulldog allegedly bit a young boy in the face on Nov. 17, 2012 at Tarbutt Park.
The court heard from two rebuttal witnesses called by the Crown Monday at the Thunder Bay Courthouse and the case was then adjourned to Dec. 18 for closing submissions.
Through testimony heard throughout the trial, it’s alleged that Dante Mekanak, 13, jumped into the boarded rink area in Tarbutt Park while racing his friend on the day of the incident. He didn’t notice there was a man and four dogs inside the rink area until he was in the area himself and as he was running across, a large bulldog ran toward him and then jumped up and bit the boy on the face, requiring Dante to receive 65 stitches.
Vantroba said he was training his four dogs – an adult male, adult female and two puppies – inside the rink at the time of the incident.
It’s alleged the accused did not offer assistance to the boy.
On Oct. 16, the Crown had asked to recall Thunder Bay Police Service Const. Jeff Elvish and animal services officer Chris Johnson after Vantroba’s testimony about their interaction the day after the incident.
The Crown said the testimony was markedly different than the officers’ accounts of what transpired.
When testifying in October, Vantroba had said Elvish asked him how he could have left Dante in the park injured and that the boy was in a coma.
However, Elvish told the court Monday afternoon he only recalls telling Vantroba how many stitches Dante had received.
