Man pleads guilty to bashing dog to death

[REWHBLCAIN]

Published: April 16, 2010
Updated: April 17, 2010 9:16 a.m.
Man pleads guilty to bashing dog to death
By FRED SWEGLES
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
http://www.ocregister.com/news/dog-2...-clemente.html



A man accused of killing a 5-year-old miniature schnauzer by choking it and slamming its head repeatedly onto a San Clemente sidewalk Dec. 30 pleaded guilty Friday to felony animal cruelty and felony vandalism, the Orange County District Attorney's Office announced.

In a news release, the D.A.'s office said Bayron Reyes Lopez, 26, of San Clemente was sentenced to a year in jail and three years' formal probation. A hold was placed on him for deportation to Mexico once he completes his sentence, the D.A.'s office said.


Authorities said that the vandalism charge stemmed from Lopez having vandalized his apartment complex at 4:30 a.m. Dec. 30. Later, the press release said, he:

•Approached a woman walking her dog, Kokanee, a miniature schnauzer, and threatened the woman, raising his arms above his head and yelling at her.

•Chased her when she tried to run off, then picked up the dog, whose leash had tangled around a sign pole next to the street.

•Grabbed the dog around the neck with both hands and choked it.

•Repeatedly slammed the dog onto the concrete sidewalk.

•Fled and was arrested later at the Rancho San Clemente Tennis & Fitness Club, where he worked as a maintenance man.

•Was nude, lying on his stomach in a pool of coffee, when found by officers.

The incident took place in the Rancho San Clemente community. The man was clothed at the time of the attack on the dog, authorities said, but later the Sheriff's Department received a call that a man was running naked in the tennis club.