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Wednesday, January 14, 2009 10:29 AM Dog conflict lands 2 in jail By Gina Childress | Times Staff Writer A conflict that began over three dogs and nine puppies and escalated to a war of words and a punch being thrown, landed two men in jail and left a well-known local dog kennel owner with a severe black eye and broken nose. According to several incident reports filed with the Wilson County Sheriff's Office, the ordeal began Thursday, when Amanda Davis of 4651 Wiggins Mill Road reported her dogs had been taken from her residence. According to the report, Davis told Deputy A. Coleman that she had last seen her two pit bull mix dogs and nine newborn puppies Jan. 5. Coleman wrote in the report, "She said she went looking for them since she knows that they get out and roam but thought they would be back." According to the incident report, Max Fitz-Gerald, owner of the dog rescue organization For the Love of Dogs, received a call Jan. 5 from a man living in the area that several adult dogs were "out roaming." Fitz-Gerald was quoted in the report as saying he asked the man, who was not identified, if he could catch them. The man responded that he could not, so "he (Fitz-Gerald) went out on Jan. 5 around 4:30 and 5 and picked the dogs up." The report also says that when Fitz-Gerald realized that one of the dogs had recently given birth he went to the area where he found the dogs and checked at Davis' residence to see if anyone was home. "He stated no one was home so he went looking for the puppies," the report said. "Mr. Fitz-Gerald stated he went around back to an old shed and stood still, and that is when he could hear puppies crying. He said he took them to be with the mama." Major Mickey Wilson, head of Wilson County Animal Enforcement, said he received a call from Fitz-Gerald stating that he had picked up some dogs and they would be at his facility where he would house them until the owner was found. Davis was told the dogs were at Fitz-Gerald's place. The dogs were returned to Davis, and deputies have since checked on them and have found them to be properly cared for. Wilson said he told Fitz-Gerald to let his agency handle the situation and not to go back on Davis' property. "I told him to leave it to us," Wilson said. "I told Max that we would keep periodic checks on the dogs to be sure they had adequate shelter." According to Bobby Page, Davis' boyfriend, and Davis, Fitz-Gerald began riding by their residence Saturday. "He kept riding by and taking pictures," Page said. "At one point, he (Fitz-Gerald) stopped and yelled out of the window that if he saw the dogs, he was going to take them." Page said he told Fitz-Gerald that he could have him arrested for trespassing. "He told me I didn't have the balls to press charges," Page said. Ronald Williams, a commissioner for the Town of Elm City, who had been helping Fitz-Gerald with some projects at the For the Love of Dogs, said he and Fitz-Gerald did ride by the residence to make sure the dogs were not running at large but denied harassing the couple. "Max said that if the dogs were running loose, he was going to call Mickey (Wilson)," Williams said. Williams said he saw a man and a woman behind the Davis residence, and a man came running out at them screaming vulgarities as they rode by. "We drove on and turned around and went back the same way," Williams said. "We were going back to Max's." That's when Williams said the same man, presumed to be Page, ran at them again with a hammer in his hand. "We just drove on and went back to the facility (For the Love of Dogs)," Williams said. Davis and Page had a different version of events. They said that at least five times Saturday, they saw Fitz-Gerald ride by very slowly taking pictures. Page and Davis said that they were walking to the home of neighbors Phillip and Dana Troung to attend a cookout when Fitz-Gerald rode by again between 5 to 6 p.m. According to the Sheriff's report, there was a group of people in the Troungs' front yard, including Donald Ray Beaman, the father of Dana Troung. Dana Troung said she and her husband were in the backyard of their residence at 4626 Wiggins Mill Road when they heard yelling coming from the front yard and went to investigate. She said she saw Fitz-Gerald and another man in a vehicle, which was on the street, exchanging words with the group in the front yard. According to Williams, a man in the front yard dropped his pants and mooned them. Beaman, who did the mooning, admitted he committed the act. "After the fourth time he rode by taking pictures, I mooned him," Beaman said. "Max then backed the car up about 45 to 50 feet and yelled out the window, 'That was a pretty moon; show it to us again,'" Williams said. "I told them (Fitz-Gerald and Williams) they needed to leave or I was going to call the cops," Dana Troung said. "He told me to go ahead and call the damn cops. So I did." Dana Troung said that in the meantime, Beaman and Fitz-Gerald were exchanging words, and Beaman and her husband both approached the vehicle, where another exchange of words took place. Beaman said he approached the car, another exchange was made, and he called both the men a derogatory name. "That's when he (Fitz-Gerald) spit in my face," Beaman said. "Then I hit him." Fitz-Gerald and Williams deny the spitting part of the incident. "All Max did was turn to look at me when he called us a name, and as he was looking back at the man, that's when he hit him," Williams said. Fitz-Gerald sought medical treatment for his injuries and said doctors told him his left eye could have a detached retina. He will be going back to the doctor Thursday to get a final diagnosis. He has three stitches in his left eyebrow and a broken nose. All of the parties went to the magistrate's office to press charges. After hearing some testimony, the magistrate filed charges against Beaman for assault and placed him under a $1,000 secured bond. Page, who was frustrated at not being able to make the magistrate understand their side of the incident, admits he let his emotions get the best of him. "I should have been quiet when the magistrate told me to," Page said. "Instead, I was arrested for contempt and I spent three days in jail." Fitz-Gerald, who has not been charged at this time, said he hates that the situation took place but welcomes the publicity about the problem of letting dogs run loose. gina@wilsontimes.com | 265-7821 |
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RedNecksDontNeedPets said...
The recent mauling of two children by Dogs left to roam and "ramble" proves how stupid some pet owners really are! People who think it's OK to let their Dogs roam or ramble should be arrested!
Saturday, January 24, 2009 at 6:30 AM
said...The recent mauling of two children by Dogs left to roam and "ramble" proves how stupid some pet owners really are! People who think it's OK to let their Dogs roam or ramble should be arrested!
Saturday, January 24, 2009 at 6:30 AM
Larceny of a Dog, Trespassing, Break and Enter, Larceny after the Break and Enter... hmmm... Ostructing an Investigation after Mickey told him to leave it alone... hmm... What we have here are misdemeanor and felony charges. Look them up on the NC General Statute website. Sometimes we should leave police work to law enforcement. Maybe the nameless original caller (that called Max) should have called the WCSO Animal Enforcement to begin with. That's what they do for a living... that's what we pay county taxes for. Let them handle it. Sounds like the dogs were fine once the WCSO got there. Maybe I'M crazy!! :-) ha ha ha
Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 11:27 AM
Doing "good deeds" doesn't give you the right to break the law. Max loves publicity. He obviously makes sure he gets it. He feeds off of conflict and thrives when he ticks people off. If you have taken notice he never seems to get charged with anything he does. Makes you wonder why. How far he is pushing indicates he expects no repercussions for any of his actions. He has been led to think he is above the law. Perhaps he is in Wilson County. His ego far exceeds his "For Love of Dogs" mission. What comes out of his mouth speaks of who he really is. Groupies beware.
Sunday, January 18, 2009 at 11:08 AM
They cleaned up their yard, which was a mess. The dogs finally got a pen and a decent place to lay in. So, something good did come out of this after all. The last I heard, the road is a public place and you can ride up and down all you want to. Good for you Max for sticking up for what you believe in.
Sunday, January 18, 2009 at 9:14 AM
How can max do that he can't just walk in someones yard and still a dog. He should be charged with asault.And he deseaved what he got. Now the dog's are safe at there home.Mandy and Bobby shouldn't have got charge it should have been max.
Saturday, January 17, 2009 at 7:41 PM
