Truck driver David Jeffries was driving through Independence, Missouri, when he noticed something disturbing on the side of the road. Jeffries saw a man slapping, punching, and kicking a dog who was cowering in fear the entire time.
His first instinct was to get out of his rig and confront the man, but decided that his temper would probably get the best of him.
“I knew if I got out of that truck and he would have said some smart aleck remark or something, that my temper would take over, because I was pretty upset,” he said.
Instead, he called local police who arrested 49-year-old Charles Wilson on animal abuse charges. The dog was taken to Joplin’s Humane Society, where it’s doing fine.Local police said if Jeffries hadn’t stop to report the incident, there may have been a much worse outcome.
“I’m a dog lover myself. I’ve had dogs all my life. Watch a dog get beat up like that…” he told reporters.
Wilson, who is homeless, faces a misdemeanor. A judge will decide his penalty at a late date.
