Raymond William Maresh, 63, of 18875 Sugar Creek Road in Garfield was arrested on three counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer or correctional employee, felony aggravated cruelty to animals and possession of firearms by certain persons, according to jail records.
Someone called deputies and reported that Maresh had been dragging his Doberman Pinscher behind his truck on Sugar Creek Road earlier in the day, according to reports.
A neighbor told deputies that Maresh said the dog had bitten him (and presumably dragging the dog was its 'punishment'), according to a probable-cause affidavit for Maresh's arrest.
When deputies arrived, they found an injured Doberman tied to a white truck and lying under a bus, according to the report.
One deputy knocked at the door and another saw Maresh asleep through a window, the report said. Maresh got up and rummaged in a corner before making eye contact with the deputy, the report said.
When the deputy repeated that he was with the sheriff's office, Maresh put a scoped .22-caliber rifle to his shoulder and aimed it at the officer though the window, the report said. The deputies reportedly took cover behind a truck and called for Maresh to put down the weapon.
Maresh yelled for them to "get on the ground," still pointing the weapon at them, according to one deputy's report.
Eventually, Maresh was taken into custody. Once he was handcuffed, deputies found that the rifle had been loaded with 14 rounds, and one was in the chamber, the report said.
Maresh denied dragging the dog and said dried blood on his clothing came from when the dog bit him, according to the report. Maresh did have a red mark on his hand, according to the report.
The dog had road rash on one eye, blood on its hind paws and exposed bone on one paw, according to the report. It was taken to a Springdale veterinary clinic. Animal control officers and veterinary staff members told deputies that the dog was not vicious, according to the report. Veterinarians told deputies that the dog's collar was too small, and it had been choking the animal. The dog was later sent to an animal shelter, a report said.
Maresh's wife allowed deputies to search the home, according to the report. Deputies reported seizing 46 weapons -- the .22-caliber rifle, a high-powered rifle near a gun safe, and 44 guns, mostly high-powered rifles and some handguns, inside the safe. The guns were seized because Maresh had a felony conviction, the report said.
A note found by his wife inside the house read "Going to Lowe's. The dog is dead. Lol. He won't move. I'll be back. Love you," according to the report. Maresh was intoxicated, according to the report.
Maresh was booked into the Benton County jail.
(Arkansas Online - Nov 25, 2015)
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