ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA)— A St. Petersburg man was arrested over the weekend after he hit a dog with a shovel numerous times, according to arrest reports.

The St. Petersburg Police Department responded to a domestic incident on Sunday around 4:40 a.m.

Arriving at the scene, officers said in an arrest report that Christopher Toliver, 37, hit the victim against her will.

According to the arrest report, witness statements said Toliver also hit a dog with a shovel in the head.

Toliver admitted that he had text messages in reference to hitting the dog with the shovel. The text messages said, “I hit the dog with the shovel three times. In the head.”

Witnesses told officers that they saw Toliver hit the dog repeatedly in the head with the shovel.

In the arrest report, a witness said Toliver hindered and delayed the victim’s communication with a law enforcement officer.

Toliver was charged with felony battery, cruelty to animals, and tampering with a witness to withhold testimony or information.

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