Escambia Man Sentenced For Dragging Dog Behind Pickup Truck

June 12, 2018

An Escambia County man has been sentenced for dragging his dog behind his pickup pickup truck.

Thomas Ward, 71, was sentenced on an animal cru by Circuit Judge Gary Bergosh to 90 days in the county jail, followed by one year of community control to be followed by two years of probation. He was ordered to not possess any animals.

On August 11, 2017, witnesses saw Ward driving his truck and dragging his pit bull that was tied to the hitch of his vehicle. Witnesses followed him to his home where they observed Ward remove the dog’s lifeless body to a shed located on his property.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and Escambia County Animal Control responded to the scene. Over Ward’s objections, law enforcement retrieved the animal’s body but unfortunately, the dog had already passed away. A necropsy was performed and the results confirmed that the dog died from asphyxiation and wounds consistent with road rash.

Comments

19 Responses to “Escambia Man Sentenced For Dragging Dog Behind Pickup Truck”

  1. Jeb on June 13th, 2018 2:19 am

    This generation is monumentally ignorant. This age group and their children are the ones who constantly bash millennial’s yet havnt acquired the wisdom to realize physically and emotionally abusing animal’s and children isn’t a productive means of teaching and conveying a message.

  2. Curious on June 13th, 2018 1:03 am

    If you drag this man behind your truck, wouldn’t that make you the same kind of person that he is?

  3. Miriam Blanche on June 12th, 2018 9:48 pm

    90 days??????? Does not even begin to cover this crime!!! Bout like the guy last year who got a slap on the wrist for having sex with his dog!!!!

  4. Betty on June 12th, 2018 4:20 pm

    You should meet the same demise as your helpless dog! You are a devil. You make me sick!

  5. Susan on June 12th, 2018 4:03 pm

    This isn’t the first time in this someone in Escambia County has dragged an animal. Wasn’t there a horse, donkey, + another dog? What is wrong with people?

  6. Rev. Dr. David Logsdon on June 12th, 2018 2:03 pm

    Why is this person not treated the same, as one of Gods animals?

  7. Taylon on June 12th, 2018 12:17 pm

    I can’t believe Santa Claus would do this.

  8. IMHO on June 12th, 2018 11:58 am

    I suggest this man relocate….

  9. David on June 12th, 2018 10:39 am

    The courts seem to have been desensitized to animal abuse ..along with the law makers. Business as usual one would say.

  10. has to stop! on June 12th, 2018 9:38 am

    animal abuse has to stop!! while I’m glad the prosecutors are handling these cases, the judges need to give tougher sentences! 90 days isn’t long enough! why isn’t there a animal abuse registry like the sex offenders!

  11. hearfelt sympathy on June 12th, 2018 9:35 am

    90 days is not enough punishment for the cruelty to that poor helpless dog.

  12. Rational on June 12th, 2018 9:27 am

    Inhumane humans like this dirt bag will go on to bigger kills, humans. Lock him up for good.

  13. mary on June 12th, 2018 8:36 am

    he should get the same punishment if he had been dragging a child!!!!! and NEVER be able to own any pets after/if(the dog did die) every again

  14. Janet on June 12th, 2018 7:29 am

    Horrific abuse! That wasn’t a sentence. That was a slap on the wrist. He’s more of an animal than that poor dog and that man needs to be put with the general populations at a prison and let the inmates deal their punishment.

  15. Trocarman on June 12th, 2018 6:55 am

    I agree with bigbill1961.

  16. anne 1of2 on June 12th, 2018 6:45 am

    If I’d been the judge his driver’s license would be suspended for life and the neighbors could report it if they ever saw him driving again. We need to pray for all of the four footed creatures owned by monsters who look like nice humans.

  17. 429SCJ on June 12th, 2018 6:30 am

    We do not want or need such among us.

    I would suggest he locate himself to a place of safety.

  18. Larry on June 12th, 2018 4:06 am

    Tie him to the back of a truck and drag him around for a few hours

  19. bigbill1961 on June 12th, 2018 1:13 am

    His punishment should be to endure what that dog had to endure.