TITUSVILLE, Fla. -- The nephew of a Titusville city employee was arrested after three people were spotted by a police officer fighting dogs, according to authorities.

Albert Jordan faces eight counts of animal cruelty and a count of being in possession of more than five dogs, which is a violation of a city ordinance.

According to Titusville police, an officer on patrol in the 500 block of Olive Avenue in Titusville saw three people holding dogs by the collars and pushing them into each other in a ring trying to get the animals to fight. The officer watched the incident for a few minutes before the culprits spotted him and ran away, police said.

The officer went to a home and discovered eight pit bulls, which had new and old wounds, but no dog food or water, police said.

The homeowner, Rudolph Jordan, said the dogs were not his and that he didn't know they were being used to fight. Police said several dogs were removed from the same home in September 2008 after a similar incident.