By Marcela Creps 331-4375 | mcreps@heraldt.com
February 2, 2009

An Ellettsville farmer who was once ordered by the court to liquidate his herd is once again facing charges.

William Wright, 78, has been summonsed to court on charges of cruelty to animals and animals running at large, both B-misdemeanor charges.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department Animal Management Division began investigating Wright in May 2008 after receiving reports of severely injured cattle on the suspect’s property at 7588 N. Bottom Road. According to the probable cause affidavit, a complaint was made that several bulls and female cows were being kept in the same enclosure. A witness reported seeing cows with broken legs and deep cuts. Animal control officers Rebecca Brown and Jessica Niver observed the animals from a distance and could only see dried blood on several of the cows.

“I spoke with Mr. Wright and he stated that the cows were fine and there was nothing that could be done about it,” Brown stated in her report.

Starting in November 2008, Brown received more complaints from five different property owners of Wright’s cattle running at large. Four complaints centered around a bull which caused damage to fences. Property owners said the bull also knocked down trees and defecated on their property.

According to one of Brown’s reports, on Nov. 3, a neighbor complained that one of Wright’s bulls had been on her property for six weeks. The neighbor spoke to Wright who refused to remove the animal. The neighbor said the bull had done substantial damage to her property and once chased her which caused her to fall into a burning brush pile.

Brown spoke to Wright who denied owning the bull. Wright signed a statement that the bull was not his which allowed the neighbor to dispose of the bull, according to the report.

On Dec. 13, Monroe County Sheriff’s Deputy Terry Mullis was called to an accident where a car struck one of Wright’s cows that had wandered into the road. The driver stated the animal fell over, but eventually got up and walked away. Two days later Brown spoke with Wright about the accident. According to the report, Wright denied owning the cow that was hit and added that none of his cows appeared injured.

“Mr. Wright acknowledges the problem and admits that his fence needs fixed but refuses to fix it,” Brown stated in the affidavit.

Another report was made on Dec. 17, 2008, by a neighbor who had one of Wright’s bulls on her property. According to the report, Wright once again stated he wouldn’t fix the fence.

“Mr. Wright believes that it is his adjoining property owners’ responsibility to fix his fencing,” Brown stated in her report.

According to the affidavit, the Indiana Board of Animal Health has logged similar problems with Wright dating as far back as 1984.

In 1993, Wright pled guilty to improper disposal of a deceased animal. In that case, animal control officers and a investigator for the Indiana State Board of Animal Health found a number of dead cattle on Wright’s property. According to the investigator’s report, Wright stated that weather and his health prevented him from properly disposing of the dead animals. Charges were later filed and on Nov. 4, 1993, Wright was ordered to liquidate his herd and not resume business for a year.

Wright has been ordered to appear in court on Feb. 18.