Man charged on 6 counts injuring police animal
Iron County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested a man on drug and trespassing charges and added further charges when the suspect allegedly threatened to "snort" a service dog and headbutted its kennel.
Joshua D. West was arrested Tuesday on charges of manufacture, distribution or possession of unlawful substance, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, criminal trespassing and six counts causing injury to a police animal.
West is being held in Iron County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail and was scheduled to make his initial court appearance Thursday.
A bystander alleged West tried to sell ecstasy at Maverik, 220 N. Airport Road in Cedar City, and shoved something in his pants, according to the probable cause filed in the case.
Court documents state West gave the deputy permission to pat him down, and the deputy saw what appeared to be a cord in West's pants and a hypodermic needle in his waistband.
West allegedly said a substance similar to spice was in the needle, the report reads.
The deputy asked West if he tried selling the substance. West said he didn't, the probable cause indicates.
According to court documents, a juvenile filled out a statement that said West "tried to give him spice, stating he wanted to give the juvenile spice" and that a higher power told him to do it.
When the deputy apprehended West, he told the suspect his service dog might bark at him — but wouldn't get to him, the report states.
"Joshua stated he was going to 'snort' my dog," the reporting deputy wrote. "I explained to Joshua it was illegal to taunt a service dog. Joshua began head butting my dog's in-car kennel and stating he would kill my dog."
The probable cause indicates West continued yelling and threatening the service dog when the deputy took him to Valley View Medical Center.
Follow Payton Davis,@SpectrumDavis. Call him at 435-674-6218.
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