Man wanted for shooting dog in East Toledo arrested

Marcus Crawford held on $20,000 bond

6/25/2014

A Toledo man accused of shooting a German shepherd in East Toledo in March was arraigned today and ordered to remain in the Lucas County jail in lieu of $20,000 bond after an arraignment in Toledo Municipal Court.

Marcus Crawford, 26, is charged with violating a protection agreement, aggravated menacing, criminal damaging, assault, firearms discharge restricted, cruelty to animals, false information to a police officer, and obstructing official business. He pleaded not guilty to all of the charges, according to court records. 

He was arrested late Tuesday after police found him hiding in a closet.

Police allege that Crawford shot a German shepherd, who was laying on a porch in the 900 block of Clark Street on March 24. The bullet struck the dog‘‍s right humerus bone and ricocheted down to the radius, shattering that bone, too. The leg had to be amputated.

Earlier this month, Crawford's cousin, Gary Crawford, 35, of 840 Utah St., entered an Alford plea in Lucas County Common Pleas Court to obstructing official business.

He was found guilty and sentenced to 90 days at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio with 75 days of credit for time served in the county jail. He is slated to be released Thursday.

According to court documents, Marcus Crawford was arrested inside 1207 Freedom St. where officers were executing a search warrant for the suspect. He was found hiding in a closet and then gave officers an inaccurate name.

The dog, known as June, was first taken to the Lucas County Canine Care & Control and had her leg amputated with the help of Cutie‘‍s Fund, a special fund to help dogs in the county shelter with high-cost medical needs. June is in now a foster home with Planned Pethood and has completely healed, according to Executive Director Nikki Morey. The group is continuing to work with June on some behavioral issues before she will be ready for adoption.