According to court records analyzed by Law&Crime, Tevin Keason Williams was detained last week and charged with two charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of aggravated animal cruelty.
The maximum sentence for each of the third-degree offenses against Williams is five years in state prison.
According to a written probable cause affidavit acquired by Law&Crime, deputies from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call about a battery complaint at a home in the 10 block of Circle Drive on December 14 at about 5:38 p.m.
First responders allege that after reaching the scene, they spoke with an adult female who identified herself as one of the victims. She informed investigators that Williams got off his scooter, walked up to her car, and “began pounding her vehicle” when she got home from work. The woman’s identity was removed from the affidavit because it was one of Williams’ roommates. She also allegedly claimed that she overheard Williams remark, “I’m going to murder you,” while he was wrecking her car.
The Victims Claim
The woman claimed that she was able to escape from her car and run to the home of one of her neighbors, where she learned that Williams had just killed the neighbor’s raccoon.
Williams’ roommate allegedly admitted to keeping her raccoon in a kennel in the back of the home, according to authorities. After that, a deputy circled the house’s exterior and discovered the claimed incident’s hammer close to a car’s back tire that was parked in the driveway. He found the raccoon by going around to the back of the house.
The affidavit claims that after the defendant attacked the animal, it was removed out of its kennel and put in the grass. “I saw a blue mat with what appeared to be an animal blood stain on it a few feet from the raccoon.”
But before leaving the scene, the deputy observed that “the animal was still breathing.”
Williams allegedly left the house while deputies were dealing with the first victim. Williams appeared to be agitated. He cooperated with officers’ instructions, was taken into custody, and was questioned right there. Williams allegedly admitted to being “in a fight with [redacted] and another man,” but “denied having any weapons on his person or making any threats to anyone.”
Additional witness interviews, however, apparently refuted Williams’ assertions.
Deputies were allegedly told by a male neighbor that Williams walked over while he was on his porch, held a sewing needle to his throat, and threatened to kill him.
Williams allegedly started following the man after he walked back inside his home, according to the man, whose name was also withheld from the affidavit.
The affidavit claims that “[the male victim] further stated that Williams had murdered [the female victim’s] raccoon by striking the animal with a hammer and blasting the animal with a BB pistol on its neck.”
Deputies claim a witness who saw Williams “go up to [the male victim’s] porch and point a sewing needle to [his] neck” has corroborated this to them.
Williams was arrested that day and taken to the Lake County Jail. On December 17 after posting a $6,000 bond, he was let go. Williams is required to keep at least 500 feet away from the victims according to a court order that was granted by the judge.
According to court records, Williams will show up in court on January 9 at 8:30 am for his arraignment.
