Wild hogs land Cloverdale man on wrong side of law

A Cloverdale man already familiar with law enforcement for his wild hogs has found himself back on the wrong side of the law after another incident where his pigs escaped. 

According to law enforcement officials and court documents, the Putnam County Sheriff's Department received several calls about pigs running wild, including as many as 20 at one time. The pigs escaped the property of William E. Morrison, 42, Cloverdale, and tore up neighboring yards and gardens. One pig was hit by a car. 

Deputy Scott Ducker responded to the latest case and noted he knew right away who the pigs belonged to.

"During my investigation, I observed that Mr. Morrison's gating system was severely inadequate. Due to my previous dealings with Mr. Morrison, I knew that Mr. Morrison has done little to nothing to improve the gating system on his property. This is despite the multitude of incidents where his animals have escaped," Ducker wrote in his report. 

Ducker also wrote that he observed one pig "lift up, push in and push over" a gate system, allowing the pig to create a hole in the gating and come back onto Morrison's property. 

Putnam County Prosecutor Austin Malayer said his office typically does not file charges on allowing animals to run at large, but when it does, Morrison is the top offender. 

"In the last 10 years, we have filed 11 animals running at large cases and seven of those 11 are William Morrison's cases," Malayer told The Putnam County Post. 

Cloverdale Town Council President Brandon Tancak said the pigs have been a nuisance around his town.

"It is unfortunate that due to one's negligence, there has been so many headaches for residents who live in the town of Cloverdale, especially those residents who have had their personal property damaged by his pigs. Some properties and gardens have been completely destroyed," Tancak told The Putnam County Post. 

Tancak thanked those who have stepped up to assist with the removal of the pigs. 

"Thank you to the individuals who took matters into their own hands in assisting with the removal of some of the pigs. It is greatly appreciated. We know there are still several pigs on the loose and if you need assistance, I ask that you call Jason Hartman, town manager. If you wish to file a complaint because of damage to your property, I ask that you call the Cloverdale Police Department," Tancak said. 

Morrison was booked on a Class B misdemeanor of allowing animals to run at large. According to court records, this is not the first time he has been charged with allowing animals to run at large, which comes with a $1,000 fine and the possibility of 180 days in jail.