Pet injures former mayor in Ariz., kills husband

Jackee Coe | The Arizona Republic

BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. — The former mayor of this city of almost 40,000 was hospitalized and her husband died after the couple's pet dogs attacked them, according to the current mayor.

Former Mayor Diane Vick and her husband, Tom, tried to intervene after one of their larger dogs attacked one of their smaller dogs, but the dogs turned on them and attacked them, Mayor Jack Hakim said. They were flown to a hospital in Las Vegas.

Tom Vick and his wife tried to break up a fight Saturday evening between the family's boxer and cocker spaniel, police said. The boxer attacked both of them.

Tom Vick, 64, who taught social studies at Mohave High School, died of his injuries Sunday, Hakim said. Diane Vick "was pretty well beat up," but Hakim didn't believe her injuries were critical.

Hakim called the incident "pretty devastating."

"We've had dog bites before but never something like this," he said. "It's very sad for us in Bullhead City. She was former mayor and he was a prominent high school teacher at Mohave High School. ... We're just grateful that at least one of them was able to survive."

The dogs are being held at the Bullhead City Animal Control facility.

Contributing: The Associated Press