CANYON CITY – A Long Creek woman pleaded not guilty to two violations involving her pit bull dogs just days after an unrelated attack seriously injured a neighbor.

Diana Taylor, 51, appeared in Grant County Justice Court on June 17. She had been cited twice for having a dog as a nuisance after separate incidents were reported to the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.

No charges have been filed in relation to the most recent incident involving Taylor’s dogs. That incident, which has been referred to the Grant County District Attorney’s Office, was reported Sunday, June 15.

The Grant County Sheriff’s office said the two dogs attacked William Barloon Jr., 29, severing his nose as he went into Taylor’s home.

Sheriff Glenn Palmer said the front door was partially open, and Barloon opened the screen door to enter. As he did so, Taylor’s male pit bull lunged at Barloon and latched onto his face, nearly knocking him off his feet. The second dog, a female, grabbed Barloon by the left arm.

Taylor pulled the dog off Barloon’s face.

Palmer said the Long Creek Ambulance was dispatched to the scene to pick up Barloon. That crew was met en route to John Day by the John Day ambulance for the trip to Blue Mountain Hospital. An Air Life helicopter was dispatched to take Barloon to St. Charles Medical Center in Bend.

Before the flight, however, Dep. James Burgett located Barloon’s nose at the attack scene. He enlisted the John Day Police Department’s help to rush the appendage to the hospital in time to be transported with Barloon on the helicopter.

Dep. Todd McKinley also responded to the call, and subsequently destroyed the male pit bull with the owner’s agreement, Palmer said.

Justice Court Judge Terry Farrell last week ordered that the second dog, a female, also be destroyed.

Farrell said he regretted having to take the action but the incidents warranted it. Farrell’s June 18 order noted that the dog had bitten one person and chased others, and “has bitten another person subsequent to the incident alleged” in the citation.

Taylor is scheduled to appear in Justice Court on the two citations on July 7.