Memorial held for dog attack victim

It was a packed house at the First United Methodist Church in Arroyo Grande for David Fear’s memorial.

The 64-year-old Grover Beach man died December 16th from injuries he received three days earlier when he tried to jump in and protect his elderly neighbor, who was being attacked by two dogs owned by a local police officer along Nacimiento Avenue.

“It still hurts to see my sister in pain,” says Diana Smaw, whose sister Terry was Fears partner for many years. “But it’s phenomenal, all the support she’s received, and everybody that showed up here today.”

Fear suffered serious injuries when he was attacked by the two dogs, including a Belgian Malinois. That dog was euthanized hours later, but the Grover Beach police officer, Alex Geiger, has been allowed to keep the other dog, a German Shepherd.

Geiger moved out of the neighborhood where the attack happened a few weeks later.

Fear’s family plan on continuing to seek legal action against the owner.

“He of all people should know that that dog should be caged,” says Smaw. “Anybody else would have already been charged, and he hasn’t just because he’s a policeman.”

But Saturdays ceremony was about remembering David Fear.

A man the community says everyone will have a hard time living without.

“He was very loved, he was loved by so many people. He’s a hero.”