Wayne Allen

PDT Staff Writer

A pair of Scioto County citizens are in court today to answer to criminal trespassing charges after responding to rumors of ill horses at an Otway farm.

Betty Davison and Tonia Jenkins are set to appear in Portsmouth Municipal Court Wednesday to answer to the charges of criminal trespassing, fourth degree misdemeanor.

Caption Robert Woodford of the Scioto County Sheriff’s office is the officer assigned to the case.

“They (Davison and Jenkins) went to this residence. They had a report of horses that were being starved. They went up to the door knocked on the door no one answered. The girl in the house was afraid to answer the door. They live way out on (State Route) 348. So, they went into the barn and took photographs of three horses, without permission to go inside the building,” Woodford said.

He said after Davison and Jenkins left the barn, they call the Sheriff’s office to have officers come out and look at the horses.

“Deputy (Steve) Vanhoose and I went out and there were three horses in there. Two were very healthy and one looked sickly. They (Davison and Jenkins) were claiming they were not being fed and wanted me to arrest the property owner,” Woodford said. “I called Gail Counts who is the person who has the authority through the judge (Scioto County Probate Court Judge James Kirsh) to take care of this matter. I asked if she had sent them (Davison and Jenkins) out there and she said she had nothing to do with this incident.”

He said the property owner, Eric Kartzer wanted to file charges on Davison and Jenkins for trespassing.

“So, Gail Counts and I decided that we would have a vet come out and look at the horse, which did happen,” Woodford said. “The horse is 16 years old and has heart trouble. I have a letter from the veterinarian stating the horse is just simply ill and will eventually need to be put down.”

He said there was food for the horse and the other two horses were fine.

“So I did not arrest the man (Kartzer) for animal cruelty. I collected all of my information got statements from them and sent it to the prosecutor who agreed that they were trespassing and told me to issues summonses to court for trespassing.”

Wayne Allen may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 208, or wallen@heartlandpublications.com.