Judge orders arrest after two accused fail to appear in court on animal cruelty charges

TROY, Ohio (WDTN) - The Miami County couple facing charges for throwing puppies off a bridge there were arrested Tuesday on charges they failed to appear before the judge to hear animal cruelty charges read against them.

Miami County municipal court magistrate Gary Zuhl issued the bench warrant for Shonda Lee, 36, and Steven Bixler, 26, after they failed to appear for a scheduled court appearance Tuesday morning.

Lee and Bixler were arrested shortly there after and brought before magistrate Zuhl. They were then released on their own recognizance.

The two are accused of tossing at least two puppies off a bridge Nov. 9, 2012. A total of four puppies were found that day abandoned along Peterson Road and the Great Miami River.

Lee and Bixler, both from Piqua, are charged with two counts of animal cruelty and four counts of abandonment, and now failure to appear in court.

Investigators said Lee told them she was not able to take care of the puppies. She later turned the mother dog over to the Miami County Animal Shelter.

All four of the puppies and the mother are up for adoption.