A woman who allegedly pulled a puppy behind her truck spent the weekend behind bars.
According to the Kinston Department of Public Safety, Jennifer Marie Wilson, 26, parked a 1995 Ford SUV at the Lunch Box convenience store in the 500 block of Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard when she was encountered by an officer, who noticed blood behind her vehicle. Witnesses told law enforcement she allegedly pulled a pit bull mix puppy down the road, which was affixed to the vehicle by a restraint.
The officer arrested Wilson and charged her with felony cruelty to animals, driving while intoxicated and cited her for unsafe movement. She was booked into the Lenoir County Detention Center under a $15,000 bond.
Afterward, the puppy, estimated to be about 3 months old, was turned over to the Lenoir County SPCA for care, and then to a local animal hospital for further treatment.
“Our SPCA vet tech was called at about 4 in the morning, and the puppy was brought to the SPCA shelter out on Rouse Road,” said Jerry Henderson, president of the Lenoir County SPCA. “And, they administered what they could — you know, cleaning the puppy up, and did what bandaging they could.”
Henderson said veterinarians at the animal hospital today will reevaluate the puppy’s condition and suggest what further treatment is necessary. He added the SPCA will look to place the puppy in a foster home — away from other animals — to allow her to recover and wounds to heal.
Wilson’s first appearance in Lenoir County District Court on animal cruelty charges is today, and she’s scheduled to be in court for the DWI charge and unsafe movement citation on Sept. 10. She was already scheduled to be in court for simple assault and communicating threats charges on July 18.
Wilson was sentenced to probation for assault or threat against a government employee on Oct. 3, 2011 and before that, probation on Oct. 19, 2009 for assault on a policeman and resisting an officer. She served time in prison from Jan. 16, 2008 to Feb. 17, 2008 for a probation violation relating to sentencing on the consolidated convictions in 2005 of simple assault, communicating threats and resisting an officer.
Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 and Wes.Wolfe@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter @WolfeReports.