Two Charlotte residents were arrested after seven pit bulls allegedly fell from a U‑Haul and attacked three neighbors on Aug. 26. Video reviewed by investigators reportedly shows the truck's rear door opening and the dogs spilling onto Claiborne Woods Road while the truck continued. Officers used a taser and fatally shot at least one dog; a second dog was later shot after attacking a third victim. Victims suffered serious injuries—one was hospitalized for 10 days and underwent multiple emergency surgeries—and Animal Control found no rabies vaccinations or tags for the animals.
Seven Pit Bulls Allegedly Spill From U‑Haul, Maul Neighbors in Charlotte — Two Owners Charged
Rodney and Rychelle MorrowCredit: Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office
Two Charlotte residents were arrested after seven pit bulls reportedly fell from the back of a U‑Haul and attacked three neighbors on Aug. 26, according to a charging affidavit and local reports.
What Happened
Investigators say video captured a U‑Haul driving down the 7000 block of Claiborne Woods Road when it hit a bump and the rear cargo door opened, allowing all seven dogs to tumble onto the street. Authorities allege the vehicle continued without stopping and the dogs were left unattended as they attacked nearby residents.
Rychelle MorrowCredit: Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office
Response and Injuries
Deputies from the Charlotte‑Mecklenburg Sheriff’s Department and the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office arrived to find the dogs "actively attacking" two neighbors identified in the affidavit, Haley Wright and Aaron Westphar. A responding officer deployed a taser against one animal, which stopped its attack. The affidavit says the officer then heard repeated pleas to shoot the animals; one dog was fatally shot during the incident and another was later shot after attacking a third victim, Angela Johnson.
"The dogs were being conveyed in an unsafe and cruel manner in the back of a U‑Haul Box‑Truck," the charging affidavit states.
All three victims sustained extensive injuries. Wright required a 10‑day hospital stay, multiple emergency surgeries, more than five feet of sutures and a wound vacuum to treat numerous lacerations. Johnson told local outlet WBTV she needed a rabies vaccination and several stitches.
Rodney MorrowCredit: Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office
Charges and Investigation
Rychelle Morrow, 44, and Rodney Morrow, 75, were arrested and booked on Sept. 16 and released on bond two days later. Each faces seven counts including animal abandonment, cruelty to animals, failure to vaccinate, failure to display rabies tags, dangerous dog attack resulting in more than $100 in injuries, and unsafe conveyance, according to the affidavit obtained by PEOPLE.
Animal Control assisted law enforcement and found no rabies vaccinations on record for the dogs and no active rabies tags on the animals. Investigators continue to review video footage and other evidence to determine the full circumstances of how the dogs were being transported and why the truck did not stop.
Haley Wright, the victim of the alleged dog attackCredit: Gofundme
Community Response
A family member of one victim launched a GoFundMe to help cover medical costs for Wright and Westphar. The fundraiser states the couple suffered severe, body‑wide injuries and that the suspects were moving out of a nearby residence the day the dogs escaped. As of publication, the fundraiser had raised about $10,000 of a $40,000 goal.
PEOPLE and local outlets reported on the case; authorities and animal control continue their investigation. Police agencies contacted in connection with this article did not provide additional comment beyond the charging documents and incident reports.
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