CANFIELD Arraignment set for 3 teens charged with attacking cows

The cow caper stunned a family that has occupied a Detwiler Road farm for five generations.
By MARALINE KUBIK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
NORTH LIMA -- Three Canfield teen-agers are to be arraigned tonight in Canfield court in connection with an attack June 30 on dairy cattle belonging to David and Kathy Moff.
The three will be arraigned on charges of felony vandalism and criminal trespassing. Evidence will be presented to the Mahoning County grand jury Thursday.
They were apparently watching a movie that depicts vandals' knocking sleeping cows on their sides, said Richard J. Martin, Beaver Police Department detective lieutenant. They claimed to have set out to tip the cows but got carried away and admitted Monday to hitting them with a baseball bat and fluorescent light bulbs, he said.
Evidence: They were initially questioned by police July 17 after a name on a metal folding chair left in the pasture of the Moff family's Detwiler Road farm led police to a friend of the men. The chair was apparently used to climb over the barbed-wire fence enclosing the pasture.
Other evidence collected at the scene includes a baseball bat, glass from broken fluorescent light bulbs and various articles of clothing soiled with cow manure.
The Moff family has lived at and operated the dairy farm for five generations. Family members notified police July 1 after discovering cuts, bruises and broken ribs on at least three of their dairy cows along with the items used to attack the animals. They also reported an obscene message referring to the attack sprawled across the street in green spray paint in front of the pasture.
The value of the cattle is between $1,200 and $1,500 a head.
Condition of cows: All of the cows have recovered, according to Kathy Moff. But, she said, stress from the attack had a negative impact on milk production. Because many of the cows are pregnant, possible injuries to their calves won't be apparent until they are delivered, she added.
If the men are indicted and convicted, they face up to 30 days in jail and a $250 fine on the criminal trespassing charge, and six to 12 months in prison and up to a $2,500 fine on the felony vandalism charge. Felony vandalism, Martin explained, involves deliberate destruction of property used in a business.