Teen in Bloomington dog attack scheduled to be sentenced Thursday
A Bloomington teenager is scheduled to be sentenced Thursday after pleading no contest to a charge last month in connection with a January dog attack that severely injured an 8-year-old boy.
Paul Hicklin III pleaded no contest to a felony count of assault with a deadly weapon, likely causing great bodily injury, during proceedings Aug. 21 before Judge Stephan G. Saleson in Fontana Superior Court.
Hicklin, who was 17 years old at the time and charged as an adult, will receive a strike on his record, according to court records.
The defendant was accused of siccing his pit bull on Dakota Mitchell outside Hicklin's Via De Anza home on Jan. 30. Dakoda and his older brother, 9-year-old Dallas, went to Hicklin's house to see if a regular playmate of theirs was home, according to Fontana Police Department.
The boys told investigators they heard Hicklin tell them to leave before he let the 60-pound pitbull outside. Fontana Police said the dog was deliberately set free and commanded to attack while the victim was walking away.
The dog chewed on Dakoda's face, causing an injury that required a large number of stitches. Dallas used his skateboard or scooter to get the dog off of his brother.
The dog was later shot and killed when it charged officers during attempts to corral it.
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