Animal handler struck elephant with hooked pole - Norfolk, VA

Wednesday, Jul 31, 2002

County: Norfolk City

Disposition: Convicted

Defendant/Suspect: David A. Creech

An animal handler accused of gouging an elephant pleaded no contest to three misdemeanor charges of animal cruelty.  David A. Creech, age 32 of Glendale, Ariz., did not appear in Circuit Court. The charges will be dismissed in two years if he abides by a plea agreement, said Cynthia Hall, an assistant city attorney.

Under the agreement, Creech promised to donate $1,000 to the Maria Carmel Charity Fund, which pays for medical care for dogs and cats with indigent owners. He must make that payment by the end of May. Creech must remain on good behavior during unsupervised probation and must not be charged with other crimes.

It was unclear Monday whether Creech must promise to stay away from elephants during the two years. Hall said Creech no longer works with elephants but is working with big cats.

John K. Zwerling, Creech's lawyer, said the elephants were under quarantine because one had died of an unknown cause, and doctors wanted to run tests for communicable diseases.

Creech had appealed convictions on the cruelty charges from the General District Court.

Scope employees testified during that trial that they saw Creech strike Joy the elephant with an ankus before a performance of the Sterling & Reid Circus in August. An ankus is a long, hooked pole.

In court Monday, Hall showed the judge pictures of puncture wounds in the elephant's leg. A veterinarian said the wounds were about a quarter-inch long, Hall said.

Zwerling said Creech does not admit to mishandling the 23-year-old elephant. "It's people disagreeing if what he did was humane,'' Zwerling said after the hearing. In court, Zwerling said a bolt on the inside of a trailer used to move the elephants could have caused the wounds.

References

• The Virginia Pilot

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