Conover man charged with animal cruelty while fleeing police

Gabriel Dawson Propst, 25, of Indian Springs Drive NW in Conover, was arrested by Conover police officers. He was taken into custody on May 3 and charged with animal cruelty, fleeing in a motor vehicle and probation violation. Propst is also charged with identity theft and resisting a public official.

Propst is on probation following a February 2023 conviction in Catawba County for multiple crimes, including possession of a firearm by a felon, theft of firearms and burglary. He served about eight months in prison before his release earlier this year. Following the latest arrest, Propst was held at the Catawba County Detention Center on $17,500 bail. A district court hearing is scheduled for May 23.