‘I’m traumatized still to this day.’ Centre County man sentenced to prison for killing dog
An unapologetic Brush Valley man was sentenced Tuesday to at least three years in state prison for killing his dog in public, an attack a Centre County prosecutor described as brutal and one that left the small community “in horror.”
Robert N. Lewis, 42, of Rebersburg, was sentenced by Centre County Judge Brian Marshall to a maximum of six years in prison, as well as two years of probation. He received about nine months served in the Centre County Correctional Facility.
Amanda Nyman, who was Lewis’ girlfriend and lived with him at the time of the killing, said Tuesday she is “still very hurt emotionally.”
“I’m traumatized still to this day because I do, I did and I loved him so very much,” Nyman said through tears. “Robbie, I still love you but I really want you to please ask God and Axel for forgiveness and apologize and be a better man — and a sober man the rest of your life.”
When given an opportunity to speak before receiving his sentence, Lewis was anything but contrite. Instead, he used his time to tell the judge his American bulldog was documented to be aggressive and violent.
It didn’t appear to carry much weight with Marshall, who said Axel “did not appear to be violent at the time” of the November attack.
Lewis was under the influence of psychedelic mushrooms when he publicly attacked Axel on East Main Street in Miles Township, state police at Rockview wrote in an affidavit of probable cause.
At least one woman told investigators she saw Lewis bash Axel’s head into the bumper of a car about a dozen times, while a man said he saw Lewis strike the dog several times while holding him about five feet off the ground.
Nyman found Axel in a pool of blood and covered with deep stab wounds. He was transported to VCA Metzger Animal Hospital, but died after Nyman said he went into cardiac arrest.
Marshall was shown photographs of Axel’s wounds as well as pictures of his bloody pawprints.
“He was left in horrible condition,” Centre County Assistant District Attorney Hunter Fedora said.
After the attack, members of the Miles Township Fire Co. who responded said Lewis was covered in blood and running wildly with a knife in his hand until he had an apparent cardiac emergency. Two doses of the opioid overdose medication naloxone were administered.
As first responders took Lewis to Mount Nittany Medical Center, police wrote that he shouted obscenities, spit blood and bit a paramedic’s hand. He also kicked off his bottom restraints and thrashed violently enough that three people were needed to restrain him.
Trooper Christopher Wills, who has worked in that role for more than four years, testified during Lewis’ preliminary hearing that it was “by far the most violent transport I’ve ever been a part of.”
Lewis pleaded guilty in June to one felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals and a misdemeanor count of simple assault. Three other charges were dropped.
A handcuffed Lewis was temporarily transported back to the county jail after his sentencing. It has not yet been decided where Lewis will spend his time in state prison.
“I do forgive you, but I cannot forget this,” Nyman said. “Please get better.”
This story was originally published August 27, 2024 at 1:27 PM.