Suit: Dog attacked man working in garden

An Elmwood Park couple is suing the owner of a dog it contends rushed a man as he was doing yard work.

Giuseppe Vassallo and Lucia Vassallo filed a lawsuit March 16 in Cook County Circuit Court against Richard L. Fields.

According to the complaint, Giuseppe was in the front yard of his residence in the 2800 block of North 77th Avenue on Aug. 28, 2013, when Fields passed by walking his dog, which rushed Giuseppe as he bent down to pull weeds from his garden, causing him to fall.

The Vassallos claim Giuseppe did nothing to provoke the dog and accuses Fields of failing to monitor and control his pet. The suit includes a loss of consortium count on behalf of Giuseppe's wife.

The Vassallos seek damages in excess of $50,000, plus attorney fees and costs, and are represented by attorney Peter V. Bustamante of Chicago.

Cook County Circuit Court case number: 2015L002643.