Maryville man accused of shooting neighbor's dog with BB

A Maryville man was arrested Friday, May 3, and charged with aggravated cruelty to animals and two counts of reckless endangerment with a weapon.

Michael Robert Richter, 58, Trail Ridge Drive, was free on bonds totaling $30,000 pending a May 6 hearing in Blount County General Sessions Court.

Blount County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call about a disturbance with a weapon at 3:34 p.m. Friday. On arrival, they spoke with a 30-year-old Maryville woman who told deputies that while she and a juvenile were in their backyard, their neighbor shot her dog.

The woman said Richter was in his backyard when he allegedly shot her dog, and that she and the juvenile were about 10 feet from the dog when it happened.

According to the BCSO report, the woman said she discovered a BB pellet while cleaning a wound on the dog’s front right leg.

Richter told officers he returned home from work and had drank “approximately 1.5 ounces of vodka,” according to the report. Richter denied any contact with the Maryville woman and told officers he did not “commit those crimes.”