Up to three dogs attacked and killed a man living northeast of Bend at a campsite in Juniper Ridge. The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office said dispatchers directed DCSO deputies to the campsite, often called Dirt World by the people living there, a little after 1 am on July 19. Once there, they found a man who had been attacked by animals and had lost a substantial amount of blood.
Deputies applied a tourniquet, gave CPR and applied an automated defibrillator to the man, who was later identified as 57-year-old Joseph Taylor Keeton. Bend Fire and Paramedics arrived and transported Keeton to St. Charles Hospital in Bend, where he was pronounced dead later that morning.
Investigators determined three pitbull/bullmastiff mix dogs may be responsible for the attack on Keeton. The dogs' owner, Jessica Rae Charity, helped crate the dogs and DCSO says she is cooperating with the investigation. The investigation of the incident is ongoing, and DCSO is looking for people who witnessed the attack. Oregon law holds dog owners responsible if their negligence results in a dog bite injury.
Deschutes County estimates there are about 200 people living in Dirt World, which spans about 1,500 acres northeast of Bend. Last month Deschutes County Commissioners voted 2-0 to remove campsites after finding code violations at campsites in the area.
Both Juniper Ridge and China Hat in south Bend have attracted increased scrutiny over the past several months. DCSO appointed a deputy to patrol just those two areas in search of fire, and proposed code amendments to the county commissioners that would regulate the time, place and manner in which people can camp. The code's first draft mirrors provisions in Bend's camping codes, but is still being developed.
