Charges Filed In Christmas Day Dog Attack Of Officer

A woman has been charged after her dog allegedly attacked a police officer on Christmas night last year, leaving him hospitalized.

Breighana Wolfe, 35, of Bristol Borough, was charged this week with simple assault, reckless endangerment, obstruction of law, failure to confine or control a dog, and related offenses. She was preliminary arraigned Wednesday afternoon before District Judge David Chichilitti, who set bail at 10 percent of $10,000.

The charges follow a Jan. 6 interview with investigators regarding an incident at the Pond Street house where Wolfe was living.

Officer Michael Levitsky was responding to a report of an argument at the home on the evening of Dec. 25 when the attack occurred, police said.

Wolfe told police she was arguing with her uncle when her dog first attacked him, biting him on the face, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Wolfe told officers the dog, a rottweiler, was unrestrained and had been lunging and growling at her uncle prior to the bite, police said.

Moments later, the dog began barking at the front door and, Wolfe told police, the dog looked back at her as if was “waiting for a command.”

Although Wolfe said she told the dog to stop, the dog charged through the door as Levitsky was on the front stoop, according to police.

The officer was bitten on the face and fell backward onto the concrete. The fall caused a gash to his head that required staples and resulted in three broken ribs, police said.

Levitsky was hospitalized in Philadelphia for several days after the incident, police said.

Wolfe allegedly told investigators the dog was professionally trained, was “doing what she was trained to do,” and that she accepted responsibility for the animal’s actions.

According to police, the 35-year-old woman told them the dog as “somewhat aggressive” and admitted it had bitten a delivery person several years ago in Montgomery County.

Police said that despite Wolfe’s claims of professional guardian and obedience training, she failed to provide police with proof of a valid dog license or rabies vaccination.

The Bucks County Treasurer’s Office confirmed, according to police, that there is no license on file for the dog at that residence.

Police noted there were no signs posted at the home warning of a dog, and Wolfe did not alert the responding officer to the dog being there.

The dog is expected to be euthanized.

Bristol Borough Chief of Police Joe Moors said Levitsky continues to recover from his injuries. He remains out of work as of this week.

Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.