Man charged with dog fighting arrested after jumping in Brownsville creek
A man who allegedly fled police on warrants issued in an alleged dog fighting ring that left five dogs dead was arrested Sunday after police said he jumped into a creek in Brownsville and surrendered.
State police attempted to stop Regis Leonard Grooms, 34, of Brownsville after noticing the truck he was driving near the intersection of Angle and High streets was not insured.
Grooms allegedly fled the traffic stop through Brownsville, reaching speeds of 75 miles per hour in a residential area with a 25-miles-per-hour speed limit. He stopped the truck near Brownsville and Shady avenues, ran into the woods and jumped into Dunlap Creek, according to court paperwork.
He swam across the creek and gave up, police said. He was found with an unspecified amount of cash in a Crown Royal bag. He told the trooper he ran because of his warrants, court documents indicate.
Grooms was charged Sept. 13 for allegedly participating in a pit bull fighting operation police discovered on a secluded Smithfield property. Three dogs were found dead in a pit at 251 Church Street Extension Aug. 1. Two puppies, a male and female between 8 and 10 weeks old, died shortly after the rescue. Police reported 24 adult pit bulls were found tied outside without food or water.
He is facing 23 counts each of animal fighting and possession of animal fighting paraphernalia along with Edward Harris, 59, of New Bloomfield and Melisha R. Robinson, 39, of Uniontown.
Robinson told investigators Harris asked her to care for the dogs while he was in prison because Grooms, her cousin, was not caring for them. At least one of the dogs was identified by an animal control officer as belonging to Grooms. According to court paperwork, he signed for the dogs after a previous animal seizure where they were found with scarring and fresh wounds.
In Sunday’s case, Grooms was charged with dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, flight to avoid apprehension, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and 14 traffic violations.
He was arraigned on both cases Sunday afternoon. Magisterial District Judge Jennifer Jeffries set bail at $75,000 in the animal fighting case and $15,000 in the fleeing case.
He remains in the Fayette County lockup in lieu of bond.