Florida Man Accused Of Attacking Dog With Machete

NEW SMYRNA BEACH (CBSMiami/AP) — A Florida man accused of attacking a dog with a machete is facing an animal cruelty charge.

Richard Nelson, 46, reportedly injured the dog during a confrontation earlier this month outside a New Smyrna Beach home. Nelson has also been charged with falsely telling deputies he acted in self-defense when the dog attacked him first.

Nelson was arrested Friday and released on his own recognizance the next day, court records show.

According to his arrest affidavit, Nelson and the dog had issues in the past. Initially, Nelson told investigators the dog ran at him unprovoked and bit him, leading to his decision to use the machete.

Video evidence, however, showed that Nelson stood up aggressively when the dog approached, striking the dog several times with the machete as he chased the animal around the yard, the affidavit says.

"At no point in this altercation between the canine and Nelson does Nelson ever attempt to retreat to a safe location," the affidavit says. "Instead, he continuously advances toward the canine."

The dog was recovering after veterinary treatment, officials said.

(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)