Cows legs broken in alleged attempted herding with van
Prosser, WA (US)

Incident Date: Friday, Jun 10, 2011
County: Benton

Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Thomas David Humphrey

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

A Prosser man's attempt to corral his half-dozen cows ended with him being arrested Friday afternoon on suspicion of trespassing, malicious mischief and animal cruelty, according to a news release from the Prosser Police Department.

The 57-year-old man arrived at his home on the outskirts of Prosser to find that his cows had gotten out of his field and wandered onto adjacent city property, Officer Mark Cole said. He decided to use his van to try to herd them home.

But someone called the police department to report that the man was going through the fence to the city property, the former wastewater spray field, and running over the cows.

Cole said he first thought that the incident might have involved something serious like a drug user on a rampage, but he arrived to find a frustrated cow owner. The 14-year officer said it was the first time in his career that he had encountered such a thing.

Two of the cows suffered broken legs and had to be euthanized, Cole said. The fire department was called out to help return the surviving cows to the man's property.

"The suspect's van was also damaged in the melee of cow herding," Cole wrote in the news release.

Police suspect that the man ran over the city fence to enter the spray field.

Prosecutors will decide whether the case warrants charges. The man was released in the meantime.

Case Updates

References

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