Man gets jail time for accidentally killing woman during alleged dog attack

A man who tried to save a woman allegedly being mauled by a dog but accidentally shot and killed her was sentenced to jail Wednesday.

Michael Williams, 62, was sentenced to 90 days in jail and five years probation in the death of 53-year-old Patricia Cosby. 

Police say on Oct. 9, 2017, Cosby was walking to work in the 9500 block of Goodwin in Detroit when one dog attacked her as another dog circled her. Williams, her neighbor and long time friend, grabbed his gun and fired several shots trying to save her. The bullets struck the dog, but also hit the woman in the back. She did not survive.

Neighbor accidentally shoots, kills woman being mauled by dog

Williams, a CPL holder, says all he was trying to do was protect her.

Cosby's family spoke at the sentencing, saying while they're glad he was trying to protect her, they don't believe it was actually a dog attack.

"It just doesn't seem like it was what they said it was," she said.

There were no bite marks on Cosby or scratches and the dogs were never found.

Man who shot, killed dog mauling victim 'wishes he wasn't there'

"I'm not lying to you. I swear," Williams said in court.

He said when the gun went off, the dogs took off.

"I'm telling ya'll the truth, I swear on everything I love," he said.