Staff report
HIGH SPRINGS, Fla. – Nicholas Matthew Alex, 46, was arrested Tuesday after police said he punched and kicked a dog in High Springs.
According to the High Springs Police Department, an officer was called at about 9:30 a.m. on August 25 to the 23700 block of NW 184th Place. A woman told police she was driving along NW 237th Street when she saw a man repeatedly punching a dog. She said she confronted him and told him to stop, at which point he allegedly became aggressive toward her.
Investigators said the woman and a second witness both reported seeing the man yank the dog by its leash and kick the animal with force more than once.
Alex reportedly told police he had punched the dog while trying to “remove the dog from the roadway.”
Alex is facing a felony animal cruelty charge. Court records list eight prior felony convictions, all non-violent, as well as five misdemeanor convictions, including one violent offense. Judge Meshon Rawls ordered Alex released on his own recognizance, with the condition that he may not possess any animals.
Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
