Man accused of animal cruelty; brother calls it accident

SUNCOAST ESTATES, Fla, — A 69-year-old North Fort Myers man is facing a felony charge after deputies say a dog was dragged behind his pickup truck Thursday morning.

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Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno says the incident happened along Laurel Lane. A witness recorded video showing a dog tethered to the hitch of a black Ford F-150 as it drove down the road.

The witness who recorded the video tells WINK News she initially thought the dog was chasing the truck.

“I saw it as soon as he pulled out of the driveway, and then he only made it about a block before I got him to stop,” Brittany said.

Brittany said she turned around immediately after realizing the dog was tied to the vehicle and followed the truck until it stopped.

When she confronted the driver, she said he claimed he didn’t know the dog was behind the truck.

“He claimed to have no idea that the dog was even back there. In fact, I had to tell him to go untie the dog,” she said.

Deputies later arrested Johnny Davis, 69, and charged him with aggravated animal cruelty. According to the arrest report, detectives found blood inside and outside the truck. Investigators later executed a search warrant at Davis’ home and removed the dog; an Australian Cattle Dog named Ruthie for emergency veterinary care.

The arrest report also states Davis was not cooperative with deputies during the investigation.

Sheriff Carmine Marceno called the case disturbing and emphasized that animal cruelty will not be tolerated.

“Animal cruelty is a serious matter. It is not just abuse against an innocent creature, but it’s a warning sign of a broader disregard for life and safety,” Marceno said.

According to the arrest report, after the dog was dragged, Davis drove to a Walmart on Pine Island Road around 8:46 a.m. Detectives say he completed a transaction “not consistent with providing medical assistance” to the dog. Deputies say by the time Davis was stopped at 10:08 a.m., the dog had not received medical attention.

The dog, Ruthie, is expected to survive.

Davis’ brother, Ronald Davis, disputes that the act was intentional and says his brother has no history of animal abuse.

“No, it was not intentional. By no means,” he said.

Ronald Davis described his brother as a devoted pet owner who has previously spent thousands of dollars on veterinary care for Ruthie.

“It ain’t like he didn’t care because he took that dog (Ruthie) in to the vet and it come out $1,600 in the middle of the night,” he said. “That’s not a person that’s out there looking to do something to hurt an animal.”

He added that his brother has recently been under significant personal strain, including moving homes, dealing with his wife’s health issues and the recent death of both a family member and another dog.

“He is dealing with moving, he’s dealing with his wife and her health issues. He’s got a brother that died, a dog that died. I mean, how much more strain can a person handle?” Ronald Davis said.

He also said his brother has had prior conflicts with law enforcement, which he believes may have influenced how he responded during the investigation.

Davis remains in jail on a $50,000 bond. His court appearance is scheduled next month in the Circuit Court.