Westover Man, John Nelson Price, Charged With Animal Cruelty After Video Shows Him Shooting Horse

MARYLAND -- Maryland State Police say an investigation into an animal cruelty complaint revealed a Westover man shot and killed a neighbor's horse over the weekend.

Troopers said they responded to the complaint on the 8000 block of Crisfield Highway at around 8:15 p.m. Saturday.

The people who filed the report told troopers they were in their backyard when their neighbor's pet miniature horse started to eat strawberries out of the garden, so they shooed the animal into the suspect's backyard.

According to police, the complainants stated that as they were walking back toward their house, they a heard a gunshot and saw that the suspect, identified as John Nelson Price, had shot and killed the horse.

Police said the incident was captured on the complainants' home video surveillance system, which they turned over to troopers. Police said the video shows the horse being shot as soon as it enters the yard.

The complainants told police after the shooting, the suspect went into his home and never checked on the horse.

Troopers issued an arrest warrant for Price on Monday. He was charged with reckless endangerment and animal cruelty and ordered held on $50,000 bond.

(WBOC TV 16 - May 5, 2015)