By Nathan Hardin
nhardin@salisburypost.com
A Salisbury teen was charged Wednesday afternoon after authorities say he choked a dog and threatened his 5-year-old brother.
According to a Rowan County Sheriff’s Office report, William James Parsons, 218 Miller Chapel Road, was arrested at about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday after a family member called 911.
Scanner traffic Wednesday afternoon said Parsons was “out of control” and was holding a knife to his 5-year-old brother’s throat. Scanner traffic later reported that family members were able to get the knife away from him. An initial report from the Sheriff’s Office could not confirm this.
According to the report, he also became “annoyed” with two of his male dogs when they would not leave a female dog alone.
Parsons reportedly picked up a dog bowl and threw it at the dogs. He then “picked up a Yorkshire terrier and began to choke it.”
The report said the mother and sister yelled at Parsons to let the dog go, which led to him assault them.
The report did not indicate that Parsons appeared impaired.
He was charged with two counts of assault on a female, instigating or promoting animal cruelty and assault on a minor.
Parsons was given a $10,000 bond and was still in jail Thursday morning.