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Case #15676 Rating: 1.0 out of 5
Pet fish stabbed during domestic dispute
Portland, OR (US)Incident Date: Saturday, Jul 25, 2009
County: Multnomah
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: Donald Earl Fite, III
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
A 27-year-old man accused of impaling his ex-girlfriend's pet fish with a knife faces allegations of first-degree aggravated animal abuse, fourth-degree assault and coercion.
Donald Earl Fite III was in court Monday stemming from a domestic assault at his ex-girlfriend's Portland apartment on Saturday. The animal abuse charge carries a maximum of five years in prison and $125,000 fine.
According to court documents, the victim told police the couple had recently separated, but Fite showed up and kept talking about wanting to get back together.
The victim said she told Fite she had plans that night, and they didn't include him. He became angry and violent, shoving her against the bathroom wall, and grabbed her hair and threw her into the bathtub, according to the court affidavit.
The victim was able to flee her apartment and called 9-1-1. When she returned, she found her fish in the middle of the floor with a knife through it.
Fite admitted to police after his arrest that he killed the fish, and that it was a stupid thing to do. According to a court affidavit, Fite told an officer, "If she can't have me, then she can't have the fish."
Fite, who is being held at the Multnomah County Detention Center, is due back in court Aug. 4.
Case Updates| A Portland man who attacked his ex-girlfriend and impaled her pet fish this summer has been sentenced to two years probation, a psychological evaluation and community service. Donald Earl Fite III, 27, pleaded guilty Tuesday to animal abuse and domestic violence assault. According to court records, Sarah Harris had broken up with Fite but returned to her Portland apartment July 25 to find him lying on her bed, saying he wanted to get back together. When Harris tried to leave, Fite shoved her against a wall, grabbed her hair and tossed her against a bathtub. Harris fled but returned with an officer to find her fish -- a bright purple betta named “DeLorean” -- on the wood floor with a knife through it. According to court records, Fite quickly admitted killing the fish, telling police: “If she can’t have me, then she can’t have the fish.” | Source: Bluffton Today - Oct 14, 2009
Update posted on Oct 14, 2009 - 11:24AM |
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