A Forsyth County man has been indicted for aggravated cruelty to animals and aggravated assault after dragging his dog behind his truck and pointing a handgun at a witness, authorities confirmed.

Emory Junior Samples, 71, was arrested in early February after witnesses reported seeing a dog being pulled behind an old Ford truck on Settingdown Road.

Witnesses remembered the truck’s license plate numbers and told the sheriff’s office, and deputies soon found the suspected vehicle off Martin Road. There was blood in the truck bed, according to reports.

RELATED: Dog dragged behind truck; man charged with animal cruelty

Deputies found the dog, named Loki, in the woods close to Settingdown Road, and he required immediate medical attention.

Court records describe Samples as “maliciously” causing physical harm to his dog and “seriously disfiguring” the animal’s body by dragging the dog behind his truck.

Samples also pointed a handgun at Steve Hafelle, one of the witnesses, the sheriff’s office confirmed.

In other news:

DeKalb County firefighters said they got to the scene around 8:45 a.m. Monday.

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