David Wilson Coffman Jr.

A man arrested Friday on charges of animal cruelty in Lauderdale County was arrested twice in 2014 on animal cruelty charges, including one arrest in Limestone County, records show.

Deputies with the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office arrested 52-year-old David Wilson Coffman Jr. Friday on 16 counts of felony aggravated animal cruelty. He also faces 150 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty and 16 counts of misdemeanor failure to bury a dead animal.

Bond for Coffman was set at $203,500, but he made bail and was released Friday afternoon.

Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton said there had been previous reports of cattle roaming at large “off and on for a few months.” He added Coffman had more than 300 head of cattle and that investigators initially found 17 deceased cows on the nearly 800-acre farm.

Investigators returned Saturday and found more carcasses, bringing the number to at least 30.

“They found some others that were in pretty poor shape,” Singleton said.

Veterinarians were called in to care for the remaining cattle. Local farmers also donated hay to help feed the malnourished cattle.

When asked if livestock neglect was becoming more widespread in his county, Singleton said his department had worked a few cases over the past year.

“I think sometimes people don’t have the means (to take care of animals), and they neglect them,” he said.

The sheriff added his department is working with the Lauderdale County Commission to address animal control, and he’s assigned a deputy to investigate criminal negligence cases.

“People need to take care of their animals, but they need to know there are other options,” Singleton said. “There are organizations out there who will step in and take them.”

Previous arrests

In February 2014, Coffman was arrested by the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office on misdemeanor charges of cruelty to animals and failure to bury dead animals. According to a complaint, a deputy said the department received a call about possible animal cruelty at Coffman’s farm on Fred Bates Road in western Limestone County.

Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely told The News Courier that residents had reported Coffman’s herd had resorted to eating leaves and twigs. Nine emaciated cow carcasses were discovered in a pasture off Alabama 99.

“We told him we would work with him,” Blakely said at the time. “I think Mr. Coffman just got too many irons in the fire. He’s got chicken houses, too. He’s got another farm where the cattle look good.”

Judge Jeanne Anderson later sentenced Coffman to 180 days in the Limestone County Jail, but the sentence was suspended. He was also ordered to pay a $500 fine.

Two months after that arrest, on April 16, 2014, Coffman was arrested by the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office on four counts of animal cruelty and resisting arrest.

The deputy said he arrived on the scene and found “several animals” on the ground and unable to move. The deputy then advised Coffman he would be arrested on animal cruelty charges, but Coffman took off running. He was subsequently arrested and charged with four counts of animal cruelty and resisting arrest.

Court records show Coffman pleaded guilty in August 2014 and paid restitution.