Through rain, sleet ... and pit bull attacks

A Las Vegas resident who rescued a letter carrier from the jaws of two attacking dogs early last month will be recognized for her bravery Wednesday.

Mike Guerin, letter carrier for the Sunrise Station branch of the post office, was delivering the last bit of mail on his Dec. 10 route when the dogs, pit bulls running loose on Costa Mesa Street, attacked without warning.

Guerin, who said there was no time to get out his dog spray, tried unsuccessfully to fend them off with his satchel.

A nearby resident, Jackie Poling, who was driving by, spotted Guerin pinned against a chain-link fence.

She pulled over immediately, grabbed a fire extinguisher from the passenger seat of her truck, and ran to the scene. By this time, the dogs had Guerin on the ground and were biting into his arm and shoulder.

Poling sprayed the dogs with the extinguisher, which gave her and Guerin enough time to run to the truck. The dogs chased after them and continued to bark at the two in the truck. Shortly afterward, the dogs ran off.

"The dogs came out of nowhere and attacked me. I couldn't get away from them," said the 51-year-old Guerin, who has been delivering mail for 29 years in Las Vegas. "If it wasn't for Jackie pulling up and getting out of her truck I probably would have been mauled to death."

Guerin, who said he's taken a few bites over the years, said he had never encountered anything this severe. "I've never been so scared in my life."

To recognize Poling for her bravery, Joseph Assalone, president of the Nevada State Association of Letter Carriers, has arranged an award ceremony at the union office of National Association of Letter Carriers on Sunset Road and Eastern Ave.

"It's a letter carriers nightmare," Assalone said. "She saved his life. These pit bulls keep on chewing and chewing until you're dead.

"I'm going to do this from now on for all the letter carriers in Nevada. She is the first recipient."

Letter carriers, who have caught purse snatchers and rescued people from fires, are often helping customers, Assalone said.

"This time, a customer is helping a letter carrier."

Guerin, who was taken away by ambulance, suffered cuts and bruises. He returned to full duty the following week.

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