ASHEBORO - A couple and a friend were undergoing treatment after an attack by a rabid fox. It was the 19th confirmed case of rabies in Randolph County in the last 11 months.

Eight of the cases involved foxes.

It's been a tough year for Justin Jones and his wife, Tiffany. Jones is recovering from a three-story fall on a job site in April and as they were leaving home Wednesday, the couple was attacked.

"We got halfway down the ramp and I seen it run from underneath the porch,” said Justin Jones. “I tried to tell my wife who's eight months pregnant but it was too fast. She didn't see it. Didn't know it was there until it bit her."

Jones dove from his wheelchair, grabbed the fox and threw it against the car. Their house guest then grabbed it and held it down

"(It) sent me off the edge. It really did,” said Jared Johnson. “I had to get ahold of it and make it pay for what it did."

The two men then killed it.

"We strangled it," said Jones.

Tiffany Jones' heel and leg still bear bite marks from the attack. She had no time to think until after it was all over.

"(I was) worried about my child,” said Jones. “I'm eight months pregnant. Worried if they're gonna have to take her from me or if she's going to be able to live."

Justin Jones said they might have been able to prevent the attack.

"We seen it that morning and we assumed it had left, when first thing we should have done, we should have called animal control," he said.

Randolph County's assistant health director said if a normally nocturnal animal is out during the day it often spells trouble.

"It doesn't always have to be rabies but there's no way for us to know that because they do get other illnesses,” said Susan Hayes. “So, I would err on the side of caution and stay away from it."

Justin Jones had some advice, as well.

"If you see anything like any kind of stray animals don't hesitate to call animal control,” he said. “Dog, cat. If you don't know the animal don't mess with it."

The Jones and Johnson will undergo a series of treatments during the next several weeks. The couple said doctors assured them their child would not suffer any ill effects from the attack or the treatment.