A man is facing multiple charges after an animal welfare report led to the discovery of three dogs, four dead puppies and an alleged assault victim in a U-Haul outside of a Groton motel on Tuesday.
Officers responded to the Motel 6 at 404 Bridge St. in Groton around 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday for a report of an animal welfare concern, according to the Groton City Police Department.
Officers located a U-Haul van with its windows obscured. Inside the vehicle, officers discovered a 19-year-old woman and three dogs allegedly housed in “unsanitary conditions” without food, water or proper ventilation, police said. Additionally, officers reportedly found four dead puppies in the vehicle.
A further investigation revealed that the woman had allegedly been the victim of physical violence. She told officers a man, identified as 34-year-old James Williams, was responsible for the assault, according to police.
Officers located Williams, who was allegedly found to be in possession of suspected methamphetamines, drug paraphernalia and multiple identification cards belonging to various women, police said.
Williams was taken into custody and charged with seven courts of cruelty to animals, cruelty to persons, second-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment, possession of narcotics, possession of drug paraphernalia, interfering with an officer and operating with a suspended license. He was held on a $250,000 cash/surety bond and was scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.
The three surviving dogs were seized by Groton Town Animal Control, according to police. The dead puppies were transported to the University of Connecticut for a necropsy to determine their cause of death.