Joshua Shelton Killed 70,000 Chickens While Drunk, Police Say

Drunk Kills 70,000 Chickens In One Night, Cops Say
Chickens remain in their cages in a farm under quarantine in Tepatitlan, Jalisco State, Mexico on July 04, 2012. Mexican government declared a national animal health emergency on Monday in the face of an aggressive bird flu epidemic that has infected nearly 1.7 million poultry. The emergency declaration included provisions for quarantine, slaughter, vaccination, and the destruction of infected products. AFP PHOTO/Hector Guerrero (Photo credit should read HECTOR GUERRERO/AFP/GettyImages)
Chickens remain in their cages in a farm under quarantine in Tepatitlan, Jalisco State, Mexico on July 04, 2012. Mexican government declared a national animal health emergency on Monday in the face of an aggressive bird flu epidemic that has infected nearly 1.7 million poultry. The emergency declaration included provisions for quarantine, slaughter, vaccination, and the destruction of infected products. AFP PHOTO/Hector Guerrero (Photo credit should read HECTOR GUERRERO/AFP/GettyImages)

Police say a Maryland man managed to kill 70,000 chickens in one drunken night, and now he's facing charges for it.

Joshua D. Shelton, 21, is accused of drinking so heavily at a Delmar farm that he couldn't tell the difference between a light switch and the circuit breakers connected to three chicken houses, The Daily Times reports.

Shelton allegedly cut the breakers on Friday night, and deprived the chickens of food, water and cooling fans.

"Without power, the chickens will begin to die within 15 minutes," according to charging documents obtained by the paper.

Farmer Mark Shockley found all but 100 chickens dead the next morning.

Shelton was found lying in the houses' power control shed, wearing only a T-shirt and boxers and smelling of alcohol, cops told the Associated Press. He had reportedly been at the home for a small party that Shockley's daughter was holding, and passed out in the control room.

The chickens were worth about $20,000, though cleanup costs will add to the damages.

Shelton was charged with burglary, malicious destruction of property and trespassing.

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