Springfield man accused of killing dog has sentencing continued again

A Springfield man accused of breaking into a home and killing a neighbor’s dog with a baseball bat was not sentenced Friday.

Jeffrey Sagraves, 55, pleaded guilty to a count of trespass into habitation and cruelty to companion animal in Clark County Common Pleas Court. He was set to be sentenced Friday, but Clark County Common Pleas Judge Richard O’Neill continued the hearing to June 14.

Sagraves could face a maximum of 18 months in jail for the trespassing charge and 12 months for the cruelty conviction.

According to court documents, Sagraves called 9-1-1 reporting there were two pit bulls in his backyard attacking his cat in the 300 block of North Burnett Road on Oct. 4. During the call, Sagraves said the dogs were his neighbor’s and he allegedly threatened to kill the dogs if police didn’t show up soon.

The cat died during the incident, according to court records. Three minutes later, police received a 9-1-1 call from the neighbor, identified as Lisa Marie Everhart, saying a man later identified as Sagraves broke into her house and hit her dog in the head with a wooden baseball bat, records showed.

A court affidavit indicated Everhart was visibly upset along with her young children, who were screaming and crying. Everhart was charged with a misdemeanor for failing to confine her dogs.

Two other witnesses also saw the alleged attack, according to court documents.

“Both observed the defendant rush inside, raise a baseball bat above his head and hit the dog with all his might,” court records state.

The baseball bat was recovered as evidence in the case, and Everhart said the dog died from its injuries.

This is the second time in about a month that Sagraves’ sentencing has been continued. He was previously scheduled for sentencing on April 26.

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