Man gets parole in dog attack
A West Virginia man was sentenced to jail and immediately paroled Thursday for attacking a dog with a sledgehammer in 2019.
State police arrested John G. Riordan on Sept. 21, 2019, after they said he attacked Jason Anthony's 13-year-old dog, Bailey, with a sledgehammer while staying at Anthony's home on Green Manor Drive in Summit Township.
The attack left the dog with a badly swollen snout and jaw, missing and broken teeth and mental trauma, according to police and Anthony.Riordan pleaded no contest March 1 to aggravated cruelty to animals — causing serious bodily injury or death, a felony, and a misdemeanor DUI. As part of the plea deal, all other charges were dropped.Before being sentenced, Riordan said that the reports about him were lies.Riordan declined to comment in court and couldn't be reached for further comment. Riordan's lawyer, Michael Zunder, didn't return a request for comment.Common Pleas Judge William Shaffer sentenced Riordan to six to 12 months in jail. He immediately was paroled after receiving 35 days for time already served in the Butler County Prison. Riordan also was sentenced to six months of probation and must pay more than $3,800 in restitution to Anthony.For driving under the influence, he was sentenced to pay a $1,000 fine and serve 72 to 144 hours in jail followed by six months of probation.During a previous hearing, Anthony recounted the Sept. 23, 2019, attack on his dog.“There was blood everywhere, all up to the ceiling,” Anthony said during the hearing. “And I started to look around the rest of my house, and there was more blood throughout most of the home.”He told police that Riordan had been staying at his house and was the only one there with the dog for the “few hours” he was away.Anthony said that his dog died March 3 after recovering from the attack. He said veterinarians did not know what was wrong with the dog.
