(Stillwater, Okla.) – An animal cruelty charge, which had been filed nearly three years ago, has been dropped by the prosecution against an 82-year-old Cushing man, who was accused of shooting his neighbor’s two dogs while they were confined in their own yard on North Kings Highway on Nov. 5, 2015, court records show.
The case against Louis Perry Watkins was dismissed on Sept. 19 by Payne County Associate District Judge Stephen Kistler on the written request of District Attorney Laura Austin Thomas “in interest of justice,” court records show.
However, a felony charge of malicious injury to property owned by Crown Energy Company on Nov. 22, 2016, remains pending against Watkins, who has been ordered to appear before Payne County District Judge Phillip Corley on Oct. 26 for a pre-trial hearing, court records show.
In that case, Crown Energy Company has filed a form seeking $14,701 restitution from Watkins, who was accused of using a reciprocating saw to cut a 12-inch water line one-fourth of a mile south of Deeprock and Kings Highway on the west side of the road, court records show.
Payne County Sheriff’s Deputy Joe Harper was sent on a vandalism call at 3102 N. Kings Highway on Nov. 28, 2016, his affidavit said.
A representative of Tytan Poly Services said that he was contacted by an employee of Payne County District 1 “with photos and a video of Louis Watkins cutting a 12-inch lay flat line and a 4-inch poly line with a battery-powered reciprocating saw,” on Nov. 22, 2016, the deputy’s affidavit alleged.
A Tytan Poly Services representative “advised he was under contract with Crown Energy Services to run the water lines and had permits through Payne County to run the lines along the side of the road,” the affidavit alleged.
In the animal cruelty case, Payne County Sheriff’s Deputy David Rose had been sent to the 2800 block of N. Kings Highway about 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 5, 2015, according to his affidavit.
A dispatcher told the deputy that Watkins “went out into his yard and shot two dogs with a rock salt round out of a 20-gauge shotgun,” that were in their own yard, the affidavit alleged.
“Dispatch also advised that Mr. Watkins did the same thing in September, which was also reported,” the affidavit alleged.
When the deputy questioned him, “Mr. Watkins said, ‘yes, I shot those damn barking dogs. I shot them once before as well,’” the affidavit alleged.
“I advised Mr. Watkins what he was doing is illegal. Mr. Watkins told me, ‘well it shut the damn dogs up, didn’t it,’” the deputy alleged in his affidavit.
“Mr. Watkins did not seem to care that it was illegal,” the deputy alleged in his affidavit.
“I advised Mr. Watkins I would be making a report and turning it over to the D.A. Mr. Watkins told me, ‘good, then maybe they can shut the dogs up,’” the deputy alleged in his affidavit.
***
