BAYTOWN, Texas – A Baytown man was arrested Monday after officers found him burning a cat in the middle of the road in front of his house, according to court documents.
Ron Welch, 30, is charged with cruelty to non-livestock animals in connection with the case.
According to an affidavit, someone called police to report Welch was kneeling over a fire in the middle of North Dolphin Harbor, a gravel road along the Cedar Bayou Channel. He appeared to be praying and was holding a machete, according to the caller.
Police said they arrived at the scene to find Welch in the middle of the road on his hands and knees, leaning over the fire, according to the affidavit. As an officer approached him, Welch grabbed what was burning, threw it into a ditch and ran inside his mobile home, according to the affidavit.
Investigators determined what Welch was burning was a cat that appeared to have been cut by a machete, according to the affidavit.
Police said Welch was taken into custody without incident later in the day.