Man charged with throwing pit bull from bridge

Stephen Howard (file)

A Florida man was arrested Tuesday following accusations that he threw a pit bull off a bridge, authorities said.

Stephen Howard, 39, was charged with two counts of animal cruelty, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said.

A witness had called the sheriff's office to report seeing a man throw a dog over the side of a bridge near Pensacola. The

Deputies said they didn't see Howard throwing the dog from the bridge but found the animal underneath it, wet and shaking. Animal control took possession of the dog, which authorities said had suffered large cuts.

Howard was being held on $6,000 bail. Jail records didn't list an attorney who could comment for him.