A 41-year-old man in Monroe, South Dakota, is facing animal cruelty charges for allegedly brutally beating his neighbors’ dogs with a baseball bat and poisoning them.
Court documents reveal that the accused — identified as Philip Geier — trespassed on his neighbors’ properties on different occasions in Dec. 2023 to carry out the violent attacks. Authorities issued Geier an arrest warrant on Jan. 11, 2024.
South Dakota man facing charges for beating, poisoning neighbors’ dogs
Court documents reveal that in December last year, a deputy with the Turner County police responded to reports of Geier on a neighbor’s property.
As reported by KELOLAND News, the neighbor — referred to as Resident 1 on the affidavit — saw Geier chasing their dog around with a baseball bat. Resident 1 also said they later discovered their dog’s outdoor water bowl had a green substance in it. Resident 1 suspected Gier had poisoned their dog’s water before leaving.
Shockingly, Geier had attacked and allegedly poisoned another neighbor’s dogs — identified as Resident 2 on the affidavit — the week prior. Unfortunately, one of her dogs died “within a short period of [Geier’s] attack on her dogs and home.” A vet who examined the pup revealed they exhibited signs of poisoning.
Resident 2 shared that apart from Geier attacking her two dogs with the bat, he also damaged her front door. The violent attack left her surviving dog with a fractured leg, as the pup couldn’t put any weight on the leg.
Upon arrival at Geier’s residence, the Turner County deputy could see the baseball bat leaning against a wall. Given the possibility that Geier was armed and reportedly had a history of threatening law enforcement, the deputy had to ask for non-emergent backup.
After his arrest, Geier was later freed on a $500 bond. As per the bond’s conditions, he’s prohibited from having contact with Resident 2 and trespassing on private property. Moreover, he’s required to adhere to all laws and remain in contact with his attorney.
