Alabama man charged with stabbing dog, attempted murder

Alabama man charged with stabbing dog, attempted murder

A north Alabama man has been arrested on nine charges, including fatally stabbing a dog and attempted murder, the Lawrence County sheriff’s office announced Monday.

Todd Lee Hood of Russellville was arrested Saturday.

In addition to the attempted murder and aggravated animal cruelty charges, Hood was charged with shooting into an occupied vehicle, shooting into an occupied residence, shooting into an unoccupied vehicle, two counts of reckless endangerment, third-degree burglary and second-degree criminal mischief.

Also charged in the case, the sheriff’s office announced, was Ashley Romans, who was driving the vehicle in which Hood was riding that was stopped by deputies and Moulton police in the Langton area.

Romans was charged with having an open container of alcohol and illegal possession of tax paid alcoholic beverages.

Deputies said they received a call Saturday afternoon regarding a vehicle that had been shot.

A witness said the suspect opened fire into the home as well as the vehicle at a home on Alabama Highway 24. Responding deputies got a description of the suspect and began a search. About 1½ hours later, the suspect’s vehicle was seen at a home on Lawrence County Road 374 in the Hillsboro area.

A witness told deputies a male suspect forced his way into the home and damaged property. The suspect also fatally stabbed a dog.

A neighbor approached the suspect asking what he was doing. The suspect threatened the neighbor’s life and fired a shot from a gun into the vehicle occupied by the neighbor. The neighbor was not struck. As the suspect left the scene, the neighbor followed while on the phone with the sheriff’s dispatch.

The sheriff’s office said the first location where the suspect fired into the home was believed to be the home of an ex-boyfriend of Romans. The second scene is believed to be the residence of the father and grandparents of Romans’ child.

Hood remains in Lawrence County jail, according to the jail website, while awaiting a judge to set bond. A $2,000 bond was set for Romans, who is not listed as an inmate at the jail.