Maryland: Alleged dog-dragger Timothy Nicholas has July 14 court date

MARYLAND -- About a week before Timothy Nicholas was accused of dragging his pit bull behind his van, severely injuring the dog, he was arrested for threatening his brother's neighbor with a knife in a fight over a parking space.

Nicholas, 60, of 23 South Whipple St., Rear 1, Lowell, is scheduled to appear in Lowell District Court on July 14 to face one count of animal cruelty in connection with the alleged dog-dragging incident on June 26.

Lowell police say Nicholas tied his 2-year-old dog, Buddy, to his van while he and a friend hung out at Hovey Park near the Dracut line. When Nicholas left the park, he told police he forgot the dog and drove off with Buddy still tied to the van.

Several people witnessed Nicholas dragging a badly injured Buddy along Hildreth Street and called the police. Witnesses told police the dog initially ran alongside the van, but could not keep up once the vehicle sped up.

The dog, which suffered serious injuries to its paws, legs and stomach, was taken to Wignall Animal Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery and continues to recuperate.

Six days earlier, Nicholas was in Lowell District Court pleading not guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery after allegedly threatening his brother's neighbor with a knife.

Lowell police say Timothy Nicholas dragged his dog with his van on
Sunday. The bottle of bleach was being used by a resident to clean
blood stains off the pavement. Photo: Sun/Melissa Hanson

Nicholas was freed on personal recognizance with a July 18 pretrial conference date.

In that case, Lowell police responded on June 18, about 2:30 p.m., to the South Whipple Street address for a report of a disturbance involving a man with a knife. When officers arrived, they found several people arguing as part of a dispute over parking.

Police learned that Nicholas was visiting his brother, Charles Nicholas Jr., and parked his van in Leonel Hernandez's parking space despite being repeatedly told not to do so.

On this day, Hernandez was sitting in his yard watching his daughter ride a bicycle when Nicholas drove up and parked in the space, triggering an argument between the two men.

Hernandez alleges that at one point, Nicholas and his older brother, Charles, began punching him, according to court documents. Then Nicholas allegedly pulled out a knife, held it over his head and told Hernandez, "You wanna get some of this?"

Charles Nicholas, 68, will be summonsed into court to face a charge of assault and battery, according to police.

During the investigation, police saw a small knife in a cup holder in Timothy Nicholas' white van.

(Sentinel and Enterprise - July 3, 2016)