COLORADO SPRINGS — A war hero and former Teller County Deputy Sheriff faces charges after his dog killed a neighbor’s dog.

Mark Geist fought the battle of Benghazi and is credited with saving 25 people. He co-authored “13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened In Benghazi” which later became a film. He also trains K-9’s for law enforcement and military members.

The dog attack was on Monday, Feb. 7, according to court records. Geist faces three misdemeanor counts of owning a dangerous dog. He was in court on Friday, where a judge agreed to let him have his three dogs back that had been taken by animal control after the incident.

One of the three dogs taken by animal control after the incident on Feb. 7Mark Geist

Laura Foy, the neighbor whose dog was killed says she’s afraid to go in her own backyard, terrified there could be another attack.

“They’re four or five pounds. They’re tiny little bundles of love. They don’t know the word aggression,” Foy said, describing her dogs.

She had adored Jagger for over two years, but the Maltipoo didn’t survive the attack in their backyard.

“It was too late, he was torn apart,” Foy said. “Blood was all over my backyard, all over the cement, all over the snow, and he said ‘He was in my house’, and I said, ‘Why didn’t you take him to the hospital?’ and he said, ‘I didn’t know which one to go to?’ and then I said, ‘Why didn’t you come get me?’ ‘I didn’t know you were home?’ In my heart, I believe he was covering his tracks, get the dog, get the evidence, get his dogs and get out of there.”

Animal Control did take three of Geist’s five dogs; however, Foy says two of the three taken weren’t involved in the attack or had jumped the fence. Where they live, in the Flying Horse subdivision in northern Colorado Springs, you’re only permitted to have two dogs.

“It’s against the law to have more animals than what is allowed by the ordinance in which you reside,” Animal Law Enforcement Operations Manager Josh Holland said.

“He is smart, he only lets them out two at a time and so I thought he had two dogs until I saw three in my yard, and then a policewoman said he had five. I was blown away,” Foy said.

The retired Marine Corps Staff Sergeant and intelligence contractor trains K-9’s and has service dogs of his own.

“From what I know of service dogs is when you call them they are super well trained they come to you, but that is not at all what was displayed to me in my back yard,” Foy said.

On Friday, Geist and his attorney did not wish to give FOX21 News a comment or statement about the situation. Geist has built an enclosure in his backyard and was ordered by the judge to keep his dogs on a leash if they aren’t in the enclosure when they are outside.

“He chased his dogs in my yard for 40 minutes, unable to control them, unable to contain them, unable to get them to come to him. So, why can he contain them now,” Foy said.

“In the City of Colorado Springs, you do have a duty to restrain your animal,” Holland added.

Foy believes the dogs are a safety concern for everyone in the neighborhood. She said that she would feel better if the three dogs that came into her yard were put down.

“I have a small son that can’t go in the backyard and play. These dogs hopped the fence. There is nothing to stop them from hopping back over and killing my animals, my child, the neighbors,” Foy said. “As a property owner, a taxpayer, a business owner, I have a right to safely enjoy the property that I purchased.”

Geist is expected to be back in court on Tuesday, March 29 at 8:30 a.m. for a pre-trial conference.