TH man arrested after officials report he shot his dog with a ‘compound bow’ 3 times

WEST TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) – A West Terre Haute man was arrested on Sunday for operating a vehicle while intoxicated as well as mutilating an animal.

West Terre Haute Police Officers were sent to the 150 block of South Hanley Pl. in reference to a subject with a weapon. They were further informed that witnesses had seen a man exit his vehicle and shoot his own dog with a compound bow.

Different witnesses reported seeing this act and it was a total of three times the subject was seen shooting the dog.

Officers were able to locate the subject who was identified as Carl Dickerson, III. Dickerson told officers that he had to put his dog down because it had been aggressive towards him and his family.

The compound bow was found in the front seat of the car with a blood stained arrow.

Dickerson told police that he had tried to kill his dog, but after using three arrows the dog was still alive. That dog was found with multiple injuries including an arrow still through its torso. When police spoke with family members of Dickerson they stated the dog had never shown signs of aggression and that it had never bitten anyone.

One person stated “Carl attempted to kill the dog because it had knocked him down in the yard,” court documents read. “…just before the incident, Carl retrieved the bow and stated, ‘that is the last time that dog knocks me down.’”

A portable breathalyzer test showed Dickerson’s BAC was .385 percent. Because of that, Dickerson was transported to Regional Hospital where he became agitated and verbally abusive.

He was then taken to the Vigo County Jail with a bond set at $10,000 with no 10 percent.

The dog had to be euthanized due to the injuries it sustained.