A judge in Washington Township, Westmoreland County ruled that an Avonmore man will stand trial accused of shooting four bulls with a crossbow back in March.
Washington Township District Judge Jason Buczak said yesterday after hearing testimony that there was enough evidence to send 60-year-old Shaun D. Ross to trial on charges of agricultural vandalism, aggravated cruelty to animals, criminal mischief, corruption of minors, criminal trespass and furnishing liquor to minors. Those charges were filed in connection that started around 10 PM on March 16th and ended around 8 AM on the 17th. Ross is accused of bringing a teen to the farm of Wade Weimer and shooting several bulls using crossbows. The teen testified yesterday, saying that Ross approached him saying he had no food, and after Ross was able to borrow money to buy gas for a Quad, the two went to the farm and shot the bulls. After the bulls were shot, Ross told the teen to let the bulls bleed out and they would come back with the quad and haul them out to be processed for meat. The teen, who was not named in reports, is facing charges in juvenile court.
Also testifying yesterday was Weimer, who said that two of the bulls that were shot were bulls that he entered in shows and was using for breeding. He had to put them down. State police investigating the case had valued the bulls at $13,500. He said a third bull still has an arrowhead stuck in its shoulder but is expected to survive, while a fourth was shot in the head, but the bolt did not stick and that bull survived.
Ross has moved to Trafford since the incident. He remains free on $25,000 bond.
