Eagle Point man faces allegations he shot, nearly starved animals

An Eagle Point man accused of starving his St. Bernard almost to death and shooting his neighbor’s dog will answer to both alleged crimes in a single trial.

Fredrick Lorenz Hines Jr., 36, appeared in Jackson County Circuit Court Monday on misdemeanor charges of first-degree animal neglect and two counts of animal abandonment.

The charges were filed by the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office in January following a lengthy investigation into allegations of animal abuse that took place over the winter at Hines’ residence in the 10000 block of East Antelope Road.

According to county animal control officials, Hines reportedly tied his 3-year-old St. Bernard, Chief, to a tree and neglected him for three months. Animal control officials reported that Chief, who should have weighed at least 170 pounds, was no more 90 pounds and near death when Hines’ ex-wife discovered the dog and turned him over to animal control for care.

Chief recovered under the care of the St. Bernard Rescue Foundation Inc. in Shady Cove and has been placed with a new family.

The case was scheduled to go to trial this week, but Judge Lorenzo Mejia approved a request on Monday to combine it with another animal abuse case against Hines stemming from an incident in February.

Police uncovered information about the incident in June, and within the week Jackson County sheriff’s deputies arrested Hines and charged him with being a felon in possession of a weapon, first- degree animal abuse and aggravated animal abuse.

Sheriff deputies allege Hines shot and killed a neighbor’s dog with a .22-caliber rifle. The dog’s body was never recovered.

The incident went unreported because the neighbor assumed coyotes had killed his pet.

Police say Hines told them he shot the animal because the dog had chased his chickens.

Hines is scheduled to appear in court again on Sept. 9, when a trial date is expected to be set. Court records show he has entered not guilty pleas to all charges.

Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail jbriskey@mailtribune.com