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Amazon driver attacked by dog, attorney sees increase in similar complaints

Amazon driver Santana Johnson, 21, was attacked by a dog during a delivery.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — For decades, postal workers have had to deal with dog attacks, but a rise in online shopping is causing an increase in dog attacks with other delivery persons.

Recently, Amazon driver Santana Johnson, 21, was attacked by a dog during a delivery.

"A dog jumped over the fence and it bit me on the leg," Johnson said.

It happened in Middleburg, Florida.

The Clay County Sheriff's Office incident report describes the dog as a pit bull.

"The dog from next door jumps the fence and attacked me," he said, "I was terrified." 

Johnson said the dog owner was there but did nothing.

"The owner was home at the time and when animal control came, the owner didn't say a word, didn't apologize, did not say anything," he said. 

Cellphone video shows Clay County Animal control taking the dog into custody. It is now an active investigation.

"We currently have the dog in quarantine in accordance with state statute," said a spokesperson. "We are currently doing a Dangerous Dog Investigation." 

Attorney John Phillips now represents Johnson.

"We're in a day and age where we are inviting more and more people to our front door and to our home," said Phillips. "We see more and more of these cases where these vendors are getting bit."

Phillips says they're suing the dog owner. Florida law said the owner is liable.

"It is 100 percent liability for any animal bite to the owner," said Phillips. "It is as if the owner did it."

Phillips said the message is clear -- if you own a dog and expect Amazon deliveries or any other door to door delivery, exercise due diligence.

"Santana is fortunate, we have seen recent cases where a dog actually bit someone through like an apple," said Phillips. "Our issue is we are seeing this all too often." 

As for Santana, he said this experience has changed his outlook on future deliveries when he returns to work.

"It makes me nervous," he said.

Now he waits to see if he'll have to take rabies shots, and the future of the dog is also in limbo. 

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