A month after being named Horseman of the Year at the Carolinas Show Hunter Hall of Fame induction ceremony, John Victor “Vick” Russell has been arrested on multiple felony charges after allegedly shooting and killing a horse during a fight with his son.
Russell, 75, was arrested July 5 at his Ly-Nard Hills Farm in Columbus, North Carolina, after a fight at the home involving gunfire, local news station WYFF reported, quoting police.
“When deputies arrived, they found several people on the property and determined that a dispute happened between Russell and his son, resulting in gunfire and the death of a horse that the son had been riding,” Polk County Sheriff’s Office spokesman John J. Suave told the news station.
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Russell has been charged with two felonies—felony cruelty to animals, and assault on a person with a deadly weapon with intent to kill—according to court records. His next court appearance is scheduled for July 19 in Polk County.
A longtime successful competitor and trainer in the show ring, Russell is a native of the Tryon, North Carolina, area, and is known as a stalwart of the local horse community.
