PIT BULL MAULS 11-YEAR-OLD GIRL AT SCHOOL.

Byline: DANA BARTHOLOMEW Staff Writer

SAN FERNANDO -- An 11-year-old girl was mauled by a pit bull Friday at San Fernando Middle School before police caught two dogs and arrested their owner, officials said.

The dogs wandered onto campus about 7:15 a.m., and one attacked a girl who tried to pet them, officials said. The youngster ran into a restroom to try to get away, but the dog followed her inside.

``I was in the bathroom and I saw through the mirror -- the dog was jumping on top of the girl,'' one girl who witnessed the attack told KCAL (Channel 9). ``It's pretty scary, but I'm fine.''

The attack was halted when custodian Marcos Gutierrez beat the dog with a trash can, officials said.

The injured girl was transported to Providence Holy Cross Medical Center and then flown to Children's Hospital Los Angeles, where she was listed in serious condition.

``The girl suffered severe dog bites all over her body, with a particularly vicious bite on her left leg,'' Police Chief Anthony Alba said.

When San Fernando police tried to corral the dogs, one of the pit bulls tried to attack a motor officer, Alba said. Another officer shot a dog with a bean bag round.

The dogs ran to their home in the 400 block of Hagar Street, Alba said. They were captured and transported to the Los Angeles County animal shelter in Castaic.

The dogs' owner, 18-year-old Orlando Vasquez, was arrested on suspicion of failure to control vicious animals, a felony. Alba said a neighbor also reported being attacked by the dogs.

``They were obviously very vicious and aggressive throughout the incident,'' Alba said. ``We're going to recommend they be put down.''

dana.bartholomew(at)dailynews.com

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