Buckley man charged with killing or torturing dog | News

CADILLAC — A 43-calendar year-previous Buckley person confronted a single charge in Wexford County’s 84th District Court that alleged he a short while ago killed or tortured a dog.

Thomas William Middaugh was charged with 1 count of third-diploma killing or torturing animals for allegedly killing, torturing, mutilating, maiming or disfiguring a dog, court docket records show. A recurring offender third offense observe was additional to the offense, which improves the penalty by two times the utmost sentence on the most important offense.

Middaugh was beforehand convicted of a 2014 drug-linked offense in Wexford County’s 28th Circuit Court and an functioning a motor car while intoxicated 3rd offense stemming from his relationship with an incident in Grand Traverse County, court data indicate.

If convicted of the offense, Middaugh faces up to eight several years in jail and/or $10,000 in fines.

The charge is just an accusation and not evidence of guilt. Middaugh is presumed innocent unless of course and until finally tested guilty in a court of law. The prosecution has the load of proving guilt outside of a fair question.

At 11 a.m. on Feb. 4, a trooper from the Cadillac Michigan State Police Submit responded to a report of a pet dog currently being killed at a Wexford Township residence, in accordance to a release by the submit.

Law enforcement said the trooper spoke with the dog’s proprietor and was advised by the operator their 7-12 months-outdated black labrador retriever had wandered off their residence the night ahead of. The owner and his wife adopted their dog’s tracks to their neighbor’s home, who police claimed was later on recognized as Middaugh.

On Feb. 4, law enforcement explained the owner and his spouse ongoing their research until eventually they found an location in the snow where it appeared a pet dog had circled and stopped. There also was a pool of blood in the snow and police reported the pet dog was not there. There also were being tire tracks top up to exactly where the pet dog had been, police claimed.

Law enforcement said the investigation disclosed Middaugh allegedly shot the dog a number of moments with a .22 caliber rifle and then slice the head and legs off the doggy. Middaugh also allegedly wrapped the remains in a tarp and place it inside of a box that he hid inside his barn.

Law enforcement said a report was submitted to the Wexford County Prosecutor’s Office environment and an arrest warrant was issued on March 6. Troopers contacted Middaugh and knowledgeable him of the warrant. Police mentioned Middaugh agreed to satisfy with troopers and was finally arrested and lodged in the Wexford County Jail pending his arraignment on Thursday.

Middaugh was introduced by the court on a particular recognizance bond and a probable induce conference was scheduled on March 21.