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Man faces felony charge in dog killing
Somerset — Charges handed down on a man who allegedly poisoned and kicked his pet dog to death in front of neighbors have been upgraded.
Robert Suttles, 50, of Somerset, appeared before Judge Katie Wood in Pulaski County District Court Thursday and saw his second-degree animal cruelty charge, a class A misdemeanor, upgraded to torture of a dog or cat, which is a class D felony.
That charge is based on an incident that allegedly began on June 30 when Suttles, reportedly angry that his neighbors had called 911 emergency and law enforcement personnel repeatedly to report that he wasn’t feeding or watering his dog, Bowser, a Labrador mix, forced “a rolled up piece of bread which had to contain anti-freeze or some type of poison, down the dog’s throat,” according to the citation obtained from the Pulaski County courthouse.
According to that document, Bowser immediately “laid down and never got back up.”
The dog died on July 2, two days after the poisoning, after Suttles allegedly “kicked the dog in the head several times while it was ... dying,” according to the citation.
Suttles then dragged the dog to a burn barrel and burned it, according to the citation. It’s uncertain whether the dog was alive or dead when it was burned.
Suttles allegedly harassed his neighbors after the incident by driving up his driveway and barking.
Should he be found guilty of the felony charge, Suttles would receive one to five years in jail and he would be required to forfeit any animals he may own. His future ownership of animals would also be restricted.
Animal rights activists who have been closely following the case are asking that Suttles undergo a psychological evaluation as well.
Suttles is still being held in the Pulaski County Detention Center on a $7,500 bond.
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LCADTF could lose big bucks
Lake Cumberland Area Drug Task Force officials estimate that the City of Somerset’s lack of involvement in the task force could lead to a loss of some $250,000 in federal funding per year — a chunk which could easily force the task force to close its doors.
David Keller, deputy director of Appalachia HIDTA, a major funding source for the local drug task force and the reason why federal and state law enforcement officers are able to be a part of the agency, says the agency’s current situation is more serious than many people realize.
Keller says HIDTA has made a “huge investment” in the LCADTF, but that folks shouldn’t get too comfortable with the agency’s ability to obtain grant money at the federal or state level.
“This is not entitlement money. ... Our grant is performance driven, and it’s sought after by competitive forces,” Keller said. “If this agency doesn’t produce, they stand a risk of not having the task force funded. That money will go someplace else — to another county that would love to have it.” -
HOME STRETCH
Less than a decade ago, Pleasant Hill was a pastoral community. Modern homes were tucked among shaded lawns. Cattle grazed peacefully at day and fireflies blinked in darkness. The area was served by a friendly little road called Clifty.
Things have changed and are changing. In a relatively few days, huge electric bulbs will glow, turning night forever into day. Horseless carriages will trek in places where tailpipes have belched never before. -
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