Arkansas man who killed puppy, choked woman during argument gets 25 years

 Dusten Blake Ward
Dusten Blake Ward

BENTONVILLE — A Rogers man received a 25-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to domestic abuse and animal cruelty charges.

Dusten Blake Ward, 24, pleaded guilty Tuesday to domestic battering, aggravated assault on a family or household member and aggravated cruelty to a dog. He was charged as a habitual offender.

Ward was arrested after a Benton County Sheriff's Office deputy spoke with the victim at Northwest Medical Center-Springdale, according to a probable cause affidavit. The woman told the deputy she lives with Ward at 14026 Whiteoak Lane in Benton County and the two had been arguing about her puppy.

She told the deputy the incident happened at 10:30 p.m. Oct. 22, 2017, according to court documents. She said Ward choked her, smashed her head on the floor and hit her with a metal pipe, the affidavit says.

She told police Ward hit the puppy several times with the pipe and killed it, according to court documents.

Benton County Circuit Judge Brad Karren sentenced Ward to 25 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction. He will have to abide by a suspended sentence agreement for 15 years after his release from prison.

He must pay $1,170 in court associated costs.

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