Dog-killing suspect indicted

SANDUSKY — A recent session of the Erie County grand jury indicted a man accused of killing a dog. Jimmy R. Wiggins, Jr., 46, of the 2600 block of Alpine Trail, Huron, is facing one count each of cruelty to companion animals, a fifth-degree felony, and tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony. Wiggins' girlfriend, Gretchen Howard, is also facing a felony indictment. The 42-year-old Huron woman is facing one count of obstructing justice, a fifth-degree felony. The indictments stem from a May 5 incident in Milan Township. After 11 p.m., deputies were called to a home in the 2600 block of Alpine Trail for the report of a man who had allegedly killed puppies. The dispatcher reportedly heard screaming during the call. Erie County sheriff's deputies arrived to find a girl outside the home in distress. She told them her mother's live-in boyfriend, Wiggins, killed a puppy and fled the home, according to an Erie County Sheriff's Office report. Deputies entered the home through an unlocked, open door. They announced themselves and asked for anyone in the home to make themselves known and exit, according to the report. They noted that the home smelled strongly of animal excrement, that the home was in complete disarray and was uninhabitable due to the deplorable conditions. Deputies encountered Howard and she allegedly obstructed them in their attempts to locate Wiggins. She was removed from the home and deputies conducted a protective sweep, according to the report. They discovered alleged narcotics, specifically methamphetamine, and paraphernalia in plain view in the residence. Howard told deputies that they owned two red-nose pit bulls and only one was accounted for. The girl told deputies that she heard Wiggins threaten to choke the dog, then heard it cry out, followed by an "impact," the report states. She entered the bathroom where the dog was and found it motionless, not breathing and with blood on and near it. When deputies investigated, they did not find the puppy, but did locate a bloodied hammer. "The killing of the dog is sickening behavior," Erie County Sheriff Paul Sigsworth said. Deputies were unable to locate Wiggins in the residence. They believed he entered a wooded area behind the home, the report states. The sheriff's office's drone was called into service, and Wiggins was located by a deputy shortly thereafter. He was in the Huron River holding on to a tree. Wiggins was severely hypothermic, according to Sigsworth. He was arrested and taken to a Norwalk hospital by ambulance. He was later released and transported to Erie County Jail. Wiggins and Howard were each originally charged with felony child endangering. The charges were enhanced from misdemeanors due to the presence of narcotics in the home. Those charges were dismissed pending further investigation, according to Erie County prosecutor Kevin Baxter. As of late Thursday, Wiggins is incarcerated in Erie County Jail under a $25,000 bond. He is also wanted by the Escambia County Sheriff's Office in Florida. His Florida charge is for grand theft, according to a WEAR story. He is accused of stealing copper wire and other property from a utility company in August, the story states. Wiggins was arraigned on Wednesday and entered a not-guilty plea. His case was assigned to Judge Roger Binette. He has a pre-trial set for 10 a.m. on July 21. Howard was released from jail after signing a $20,000 personal recognizance bond. She is subject to electronic monitoring. She is scheduled for a 1:30 p.m. arraignment on June 26. An indictment is a formal charge in the common pleas court. It does not denote guilt or innocence.