NORTH COAST, Calif. – Authorities have identified the man whose body was found on the side of the road in Calpella last week, with dogs reportedly attacking it.
The man was identified as Pedro Tepale, 51, of Ukiah, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.
Tepale's body was spotted by a motorist on the side of the road in the 5000 block of N. State Street on the morning of Friday, Feb. 14, as Lake County News has reported. The motorist told authorities that two dogs appeared to be attacking the body.
A Mendocino County Sheriff's Office animal control officer who arrived at the scene a short time later found a Rottweiler and a pit bull standing over Tepale's body, the agency said.
When the officer yelled at the dogs, the Rottweiler charged and the officer shot it dead. The pit bull ran from the scene and couldn't be located at that time, according to sheriff's officials.
An autopsy was performed on Tepale's body on Tuesday. Officials said the preliminary findings were not available, with results – including toxicology analysis – still pending.
So far, it's not believed that the dogs were the cause of Tepale's death, although officials said there was evidence of “animal activity” on Tepale's body.
Mendocino County Sheriff's Office detectives also have confirmed that the two dogs found standing over Tepale's body belonged to him, according to the report.
The pit bull was turned in to the Mendocino County Animal Care facility by an unknown person later on the day Tepale's body was found, officials said.