Drug-affected pit bulls kill grandmother while gardening
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A tragic incident involving a 73-year-old Ohio grandmother who was fatally attacked by two pit bulls while gardening has led to a lawsuit highlighting a series of troubling oversights. The attack, which occurred on October 17 at the Reserve at Ashton Village in Ashville, resulted in the death of Jo Ann Echelbarger.
The lawsuit, filed on March 13 on behalf of Echelbarger’s family, details how the dogs roamed freely through the complex’s common areas before launching their deadly assault on the elderly woman. The attack was particularly devastating as Echelbarger’s 84-year-old husband, who suffers from Parkinson’s and dementia, watched helplessly from a screened porch.
Despite police intervention, the attack’s severity was unprecedented. Even after officers shot one of the dogs, it returned to continue its assault. Law enforcement eventually had to fatally shoot both animals. Subsequent medical reports revealed the presence of cocaine in the dogs’ systems.
‘An Ohio grandmother was viciously mauled to death by a pair of "savage" pit bulls last year while she was gardening, according to a recently filed lawsuit. The pit bulls reportedly had cocaine in their systems at the time of the deadly dog attack.’
— The Daily Sneed™ (@Tr00peRR) March 19, 2025
The pit bulls’ owners, Adam Withers and his mother Susan Withers, were convicted of involuntary manslaughter and failing to control vicious dogs in February. Evidence showed a pattern of concerning behavior, including an incident weeks before the attack where Adam Withers was arrested for disorderly conduct while his dogs ran loose.
A particularly disturbing incident occurred on September 27, when police encountered Withers and his visibly impaired dogs.
“Have they ever been exposed to your drugs before, Adam?” an officer asked in bodycam footage.
Withers responded by requesting Narcan for his dogs.
“I’m not narcaning a dog,” the officer replied.
“He’s on cocaine and very impaired,” an officer can be heard saying about Withers in the footage.
The tragedy could potentially have been prevented. A judge had ordered the removal of the dogs following multiple complaints to the homeowners’ association, but this order was never enforced. The dogs had previously shown aggressive behavior, having attacked another resident and killed their goldendoodle in October 2023.
Grandmother mauled to death by pit bulls that were high on cocaine: lawsuit.
I have been very vocal on X about what I think of Pit Bulls. These were high on cocaine. Imagine ! 😲
— ❤🎹 Ames 🎹❤ (@Ames2420) March 14, 2025
Attorney Rex H. Elliott, representing the Echelbarger family, stated: “This case involves the most vicious and savage dog mauling in the history of the state of Ohio and perhaps beyond.”
The family’s heartbreak is evident in their statements. Bill Rogers, Echelbarger’s son, criticized the officials’ response: “I feel like they were gambling with a lot of people’s lives that day. And she was the one who paid the price.”
Earlene Romine, the victim’s daughter, expressed her anguish: “She did not deserve this. She was tortured, and she suffered. This is not what you expect your parent to go through. This is not what you expect to happen to anyone you love.”
The lawsuit seeks over $25,000 in compensatory damages plus additional punitive damages to be determined at trial. It names both the Reserve at Ashton Village Condominium Association and the Pickaway County dog warden as defendants, alleging their negligence contributed to this preventable tragedy.
“The fact is that if the dog warden or condo association had done their jobs, Jo Ann Echelbarger would be alive today, and her family would not have to live with this profound loss or the constant memory of the horrific nature in which she was killed,” Elliott concluded.
