Dog-shooting suspect says he was out of town

Accused man enters notice of alibi

Marcus Crawford, 26, who is charged with shooting a dog March 24 in East Toledo, appears in Lucas County Common Pleas Court.

A Toledo man who allegedly shot a German shepherd lying on the porch of an East Toledo home claims he was not even in Toledo that day.

Marcus Crawford, 26, of 3324 Blackstone Drive has filed a notice of alibi in Lucas County Common Pleas Court, where he is charged with carrying a concealed weapon and having weapons while under disability for the March 24 incident.

In Toledo Municipal Court, he faces a number of misdemeanor charges, including cruelty to animals, for allegedly shooting the dog in the 900 block of Clark Street. The bullet struck the dog’s right humerus bone and ricocheted down to the radius, shattering that bone. The leg had to be amputated.

Crawford, who appeared in court Wednesday with attorney Brad Hubbell, said he was living with his sister, Shaniqua Crawford, in Columbus for a couple of months “inclusive of the entire month of March” and was with her on March 24 in Columbus.

Common Pleas Judge Gene Zmuda set his case for a further pretrial hearing on Aug. 25.

“From day one, he said he wasn’t there,” Mr. Hubbell said. “I’ve spoken to his sister. She said he was [at her apartment].”

Crawford, who is being held in the Lucas County jail on a $75,000 bond, was wanted by police by for three months before he was arrested June 24 hiding in a closet on Freedom Street.

On June 11, his cousin, Gary Crawford, 35, of 840 Utah St. entered an Alford plea — not admitting guilt — to a misdemeanor charge of obstructing justice. He told police searching for his cousin that he was not at a Clark Street home but later told a witness he had been in the basement at the time.