87-Year Old Woman Attacked By Four Dogs in Estacada

Investigators say the dog's owners were cooperative.

Photos: Jim Strovink / Clackamas Sheriff

(ESTACADA, Ore.) - An 87-year old woman survived an attack by four dogs Saturday around 7:25 PM as she was taking her nightly stroll on SE Divers Road in Estacada.

Jim Strovink with the Clackamas Sheriff's Office says Stella A. Severtsen was attacked and bitten by four dogs that escaped from a well enclosed, 8-foot tall chain link kennel area.

"Stella Severtsen was assisted by a concerned citizen who witnessed this event and came to the aid of Severtsen while alerting emergency personnel to the scene."

Strovink says Barbara Ann Richardson, who lives on SE Divers Road, witnessed this event and came to the aid of Stella Severtson

Richardson told investigators that she came upon the dogs while they were aggressively attacking Severtsen who was on the ground and surrounded by them.

"Richardson indicates as soon as she approached the dogs, they began to wag their tales and were very friendly as she directed attention away from Severtson who was injured and on the ground," Strovink added.

Estacada Fire personnel responded to the scene and administered medical attention to the left arm, right arm and left leg of Stella Severtsen. She was transported from the scene by ambulance to the Portland Adventist Hospital, in Portland.

The dogs are owned by Mark Andrew Byram and Luke Allen Byram who reside at 32720 SE Divers Road, in Estacada. Strovink says that both owners responded to the incident location and were very cooperative with rescue personnel present at the scene.

"Both Mark and Luke Byram indicate the four friendly canines wandered onto their property several years ago and they began caring for the dogs at that time. All the animals are reported to have since been vaccinated, well cared for and secured in the 8' kennel provided for on the Byram property."

The Byram family says they are concerned about this type of aggressiveness displayed by the animals and state perhaps it would be in everyone's best interest to ‘voluntarily euthanize the animals' to prevent any future attacks.

This is the first incident of this type reported concerning these animals at the Byram residence, Strovink said.

We never go long without a report about an aggressive dog of some type, it is just part of life. It is nice however, to see owners of dogs in these situations volunteer to do anything necessary to prevent them from injuring another person.

Strovink says the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office has received word from Clackamas County Dog Control personnel, that the animals in question with the reported attack of an 87-year old Estacada woman, are now in the care and custody of Clackamas County Dog Control.

He says that typically, in these types of situations Clackamas County Dog Control will conduct their own formal investigation concerning this dog attack incident. In addition, the animals will be maintained by Dog Control for the required quarantine period of 10-days.

"Most comforting is to learn the 80-year old victim, Stella Severtsen, is reported to be resting recovering comfortably and in stable condition at Portland Adventist Hospital, in Portland," Strovink said.