(Alexandria Bay, NY - June 21, 2011) State Police in Alexandria Bay arrested 33 year-old, Gary A. Collins of 43812 Stine Road, Redwood Tuesday morning at his residence. He was charged with Felony Aggravated Cruelty to an Animal and as an Absconder from New York State Division of Parole.
State Police Investigators accuse Collins of brutally beating a dog to death with a claw hammer on March 21, 2011. The husky/shepherd mix belonged to his sister-in-law, Brandy Collins of the same address.
State Police had an arrest warrant issued by the Town of Alexandria court after the dog’s remains were examined by a veterinarian at the North Country Animal Health Center in Watertown. It was determined after a necropsy examination that the dog suffered skull fractures and a tracheal rupture, consistent with what was reported to the Troopers in March.
NY State Parole charged Collins as an absconder after repeatedly not reporting to that office as required or notifying officers of his whereabouts. Collins allegedly lived in the woods in the Alexandria Bay/Redwood area for several months, knowing authorities were looking for him.
Collins was taken into custody at the Stine Road address in the early morning on June 21 by State Police and Parole Officers. He was arraigned before Town of Alexandria Justice Louis Perry and committed to the Jefferson County Public Safety Building with $5,000 cash, $10,000 bond on the animal cruelty charge and with no bail on the parole violation.
