Hawaii man mauled to death by pack of dogs in middle of road

A Hawaii man was mauled by a pack of dogs and left bleeding to death in the middle of the road in a “horrific” attack Tuesday morning, police said.

Robert Northrop, 71, was killed when four large dogs charged at him unprovoked in the Ocean View Estates subdivision just before 9 a.m., according to the Hawaii Police Department.

A neighbor said he heard a commotion outside his Ocean View home and looked out to witness the canines attacking Northrop in the roadway. He chased the dogs away and called 911, according to cops.

Officers and paramedics found the victim lying unconscious in the middle of the street when they arrived.

Medics rushed Northrop into an ambulance, but he died on the way to the Kona Community Hospital, police said.

“There is currently no evidence that the victim provoked this horrific attack,” Hawaii Police Chief Ben Moszkowicz said. “This incident is a senseless tragedy that could have been avoided.”

The dogs’ owners were not home at the time of the attack and it’s unclear how the animals got loose.

Police are investigating the owners’ actions and have classified the probe as a “Negligent Failure to Control a Dangerous Dog” case. The charge is considered a felony under Hawaii law and if convicted, the owners could face up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $25,000.

They have since surrendered all four dogs as well as a litter of 10 puppies to the Hawaii County Animal Control and Protection Agency. Police did not specify the breed of the animals.

Investigators are also looking into claims that the canines had previously been reported as stray dogs, cops said.

Just last month, a 6-year-old boy was killed by his family’s dog in Florida. The 3-year-old dog, which had no history of aggression bit the child’s head and chest on the Fourth of July leading experts to believe it may have been spooked by fireworks.