A man who repeatedly beat his horse with a fishing rod in Bath has been charged with misdemeanor cruelty to animals, according to Major Kenneth Watson of the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.

On the evening of April 27, a witness reported the incident taking place in the parking lot of Blackbeard’s Slices and Ices. Sheriff’s Office deputies, along with employees of Beaufort County Animal Control, confiscated the horse from Scott Evans Southerland, 49, of U.S. 264 Highway East in Pinetown.

“We received reports the horse was being beaten about the face, head, neck, sides, and legs,” said Watson.

Watson said that Southerland had ridden the horse to the restaurant and when asked, confirmed that the man was intoxicated at the time.

Southerland was arrested May 7 and held under a $5,000 secured bond at the Beaufort County Detention Center.

The horse was returned to Southerland earlier this week, though Southerland will have to comply with monitoring provisions established by the judge’s order.