Coroner identifies man killed in ‘unprovoked’ Moncks Corner dog attack

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - The Berkeley County Coroner says a 65-year-old man died Tuesday afternoon after being mauled to death by dogs at a Moncks Corner mobile home park.

David Eller, of Moncks Corner, died at the scene at the Pleasant Oak Mobile Home Park off Old Whitesville Road, Coroner Darnell Hartwell said. Eller was walking through the neighborhood when he was attacked by two pit bull dogs, he said.

Deputies responded at approximately 4:40 p.m. to the mobile home park in the area of Ayers Drive off of Old Whitesville Road, Cpl. Carli Drayton said.

Berkeley County Sheriff’s Capt. Michael Crumley said a witness called 911 to report a man being mauled by two pit bulls.

“I believe our 911 caller was traveling down Old Whitesville Road and saw the dogs dragging around an object and turned around and then discovered that object was a human being,” Crumley said. “She did what she could to try to end the attack but there wasn’t much to be done. She did the right thing, stayed in her car, called 911.”

Crumley said the two dogs were able to be contained and were in the custody of Berkeley County Animal Center and are no longer a danger to the community.

“At this point, it doesn’t look like this was a provoked attack,” he said. “The gentleman just happened to be passing by and the dogs attacked.”

The sheriff’s office’s forensic unit was on the scene into the evening collecting evidence. Investigators interviewed witnesses as well as the dog’s owner, but there was no immediate word on whether the dogs’ owner would face criminal charges.

Berkeley County EMS and the Whitesville Fire Department also responded to the scene.

The investigation is continuing by the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office and the Berkeley County Coroner’s Office, Hartwell said.