(Madison Township)--A Madison Township man is facing animal cruelty charges for beating his neighbor's dog with a baseball bat. The dog, an 8 month old german shepherd named Ruger, had to be euthanized because of serious head injuries. Charles Miller of 4497 Elk Creek Road told officers he was trying to protect himself from the dog, but the dog's owners say Ruger wouldn't hurt anyone, and believes Miller let the dog out of their yard before the beating. A crowd of angry protesters gathered on Elk Creek Road to support Ruger's family, and to protest Miller. Sheriff Richard Jones called the attack on the dog intolerable. The charge against Miller is currently a first degree misdemeanor.

(Whitewater Township)--A young man from Preble County is dead after a head-on crash late last night in Whitewater Township. 18 year old Austin Bruner of Eldorado, Ohio was heading northbound in his pickup truck when he went left of center and hit a semi truck driven by 43 year old Richard Reilmann of Sunman, Indiana. Bruner was pronounced dead at the scene, and Reilmann was taken to UC Hospital for non-life threatening injuries. Bruner was not wearing his seat belt. Speed or impairment are not believed to be factors in the crash.

(Westfield, IN)--West Side Little League's run in the Great Lakes Regional tournament is over. They fell to River Forest, Illinois 6-3 in the elimination bracket. Hamilton scored three times in the bottom of the 4th inning, but Illinois answered with three runs in both the 5th and 6th innings to take the wins. Connor Cuozzo had two hits to lead the west siders.