A Bridgewater man is facing a stack of misdemeanor charges after authorities say he shot his neighbor's dog with a BB gun during a heated dispute, injuring the animal while a child stood nearby. Gregory B. Rogers, 65, was taken into custody following the Monday morning incident and later issued appearance tickets for Bridgewater Town Court.
Oneida County Sheriff's deputies assigned to the Waterville field office were called to the scene at about 10:49 a.m. on Oct. 26 after receiving a report of shots fired during a neighbor dispute, according to wktv.com. Investigators determined that Rogers had been embroiled in a dispute with his neighbors and, during that confrontation, shot the neighbor's dog with a BB gun, injuring the animal. A child was in close proximity to the incident, according to CNY Central.
Deputies say Rogers didn't stop there. As the verbal altercation with neighbors continued, he allegedly threatened both the neighbors and their animals, the same report notes. Deputies ultimately arrested Rogers and transported him to the Kurt B. Wyman Law Enforcement Building, per the wktv.com account.
Charges Stem From Reckless Endangerment Statute
Rogers was charged with second-degree reckless endangerment, endangering the welfare of a child, third-degree menacing, and torturing or injuring an animal, according to investigators cited by CNY Central. All of the charges are classified as misdemeanors. The reckless endangerment statute, found in New York Penal Law § 120.20, applies when a person recklessly engages in conduct that creates a substantial risk of serious physical injury to another person, according to the New York State Senate.
Rogers was issued appearance tickets returnable to Bridgewater Town Court at a later date and time, per the CNY Central report. The incident remains under investigation by Oneida County Sheriff's deputies, the same outlet notes.
