A man was arrested last week after he was accused of kicking his dog and hitting it with a saw in Somerset County before eluding police when they attempted to stop and question him, officials said.
The investigation began shortly before 7:30 p.m. on June 7 when officers from the Franklin Township Police Department responded to a 911 call about animal cruelty in the area of Somerset Street, according to a statement from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office.
Police spoke with a witness who told them that they saw a man, identified Tuesday as Dennis Storey, 62, of Perth Amboy, go into a store and leave his three-year-old husky in his car, the office said.
While Storey was inside the store, the husky got out of the car and was wandering around a nearby parking lot before a passerby found the dog and was able to tie him up outside, investigators said.
When he learned what happened, Storey walked up to the dog and repeatedly kicked and struck the animal before walking it back to his car where he continued his actions, investigators said.
At one point, Storey picked up a saw and was hitting the husky with the blade of the tool before leaving the area, officials said.
He was later seen by police driving in the area and when officers tried to stop his car, he continued to drive for several miles, authorities said. At one point, he hit one of the officers’ vehicle and damaged it. Police then stopped the pursuit.
On June 10, Storey was located in Perth Amboy and arrested by officers from the Perth Amboy Police Department for a warrant out of their jurisdiction, the office said.
The specifics of the warrant were not released by investigators.
Storey was turned over to detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office and Franklin Township Police Department and he was charged with second-degree eluding, third-degree animal cruelty, third-degree hindering apprehension, fourth-degree aggravated assault on a law enforcement officers and multiple other offenses, authorities said.
Storey was held in the Morris County Jail and on Monday, a judge ordered him to remain there until his trial, officials said.
The three-year-old husky was later located in a nearby animal shelter and will be examined for injuries, the office said.
Stories by Chris Sheldon
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Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.