Drunk suspects lock dog in trunk
Published 2:37 pm Thursday, October 8, 2009
Two underage males were arrested for being in possession of alcohol, and then were charged with cruelty to animals after a dog was found locked in the trunk of their vehicle hassling for breath and without food and water.
According to police reports, Crenshaw County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeremy Walker was notified of a suspicious vehicle in the Tom Thumb parking lot in Luverne around midnight of Sept. 25. Walker noticed a strong odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle and also noticed open beer containers inside the car.
The driver, Cody Freeman Peterson, 19, of Highland Home, failed a field sobriety test and was charged with a DUI as well as minor in possession of alcohol and having an open container.
The passenger, Benjamin Tyler Mason, 18, also of Highland Home, was also charged with minor in possession of alcohol as well as a minor in possession of tobacco.
According to the police reports, a wrecker was called to tow the vehicle, and while loading the vehicle, a dog was found in the trunk “sweating and hassling.”
It is not known how long the dog had been inside the trunk of the car.
Both Mason and Peterson were also charged with cruelty to animals and were taken to the Crenshaw County jail.