Danielle Graham, 21 (Photo Courtesy Hawthorne Police Dept.) |
HAWTHORNE -- A woman who police say threw her boyfriend's dog into oncoming traffic, where it died after landing on top of a passing car, has been charged with felony animal cruelty.
The woman, identified as Danielle Graham, 21 of Los Angeles was angry because her boyfriend told her to stay behind with the dog while he went to pick up his 12 year old sisters from school, according to Hawthorne police.
The dog, a 3-month-old pit bull named Gucci, died in the street after rolling under a vehicle. It happened at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday in the 12900 block of Prairie Avenue. Two Hawthorne police officers who were in their car less than a block away witnessed the entire incident.
Hawthorne police Capt. Mike Ishii said officers "witnessed a female adult pull a pit bull puppy by the chain attached to its collar out of a building, and throw the puppy into oncoming traffic."
The officers immediately tried to arrest Graham, but they say she resisted and got into a physical struggle with them, Ishii said.
Police said the woman's boyfriend, Hakeem Funtuna, 23, of Inglewood, jumped in to try to free her.
"The two police officers found themselves fighting both the male and female subjects, neither of whom had been handcuffed," Ishii said.
The officers pepper sprayed the couple, but they continued to try and get away, Ishii said.
The officers radioed for help, and more officers arrived to subdue them.
Graham was charged with one felony count of cruelty to an animal as well as one count of felony battery with injury on a peace officer. Funtuna was also charged with resisting arrest.
She suffered a minor injury but did not require hospitalization and is being held on $20,000 bail at the Hawthorne jail. She is set to be arraigned Friday afternoon.
The woman, identified as Danielle Graham, 21 of Los Angeles was angry because her boyfriend told her to stay behind with the dog while he went to pick up his 12 year old sisters from school, according to Hawthorne police.
The dog, a 3-month-old pit bull named Gucci, died in the street after rolling under a vehicle. It happened at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday in the 12900 block of Prairie Avenue. Two Hawthorne police officers who were in their car less than a block away witnessed the entire incident.
Hawthorne police Capt. Mike Ishii said officers "witnessed a female adult pull a pit bull puppy by the chain attached to its collar out of a building, and throw the puppy into oncoming traffic."
The officers immediately tried to arrest Graham, but they say she resisted and got into a physical struggle with them, Ishii said.
Police said the woman's boyfriend, Hakeem Funtuna, 23, of Inglewood, jumped in to try to free her.
"The two police officers found themselves fighting both the male and female subjects, neither of whom had been handcuffed," Ishii said.
The officers pepper sprayed the couple, but they continued to try and get away, Ishii said.
The officers radioed for help, and more officers arrived to subdue them.
Graham was charged with one felony count of cruelty to an animal as well as one count of felony battery with injury on a peace officer. Funtuna was also charged with resisting arrest.
She suffered a minor injury but did not require hospitalization and is being held on $20,000 bail at the Hawthorne jail. She is set to be arraigned Friday afternoon.
