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Case ID: 16645
Classification: Vehicular
Animal: cat
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Drugs or alcohol involved
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Attorneys/Judges
Judge(s): Spencer Seaton


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Kittens intentionally run over with vehicle
Chester, PA (US)

Incident Date: Sunday, Oct 17, 2010
County: Delaware

Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 1 files available

Alleged: Francis McGinley

Francis McGinley, 44, who according to court records has a lengthy history of drunken escapades, allegedly told his roommates he ran the 4-week-old kittens over with his truck and was going to eat them for dinner.

The three women saved the kittens' lives by calling for help as an intoxicated McGinley sat in the bathroom talking to himself, police said.

Nirvana, a black male, and Karma, his white sister, are being treated for their injuries at the Delaware County SPCA after being rushed to an emergency veterinary hospital Sunday night. Karma, according to authorities, was near death.

Sgt. Charles Fell and officers William Dowd and David DeFrank responded to a call for a suspicious condition at the apartment McGinley shares with three women in the 200 block of Edwards Street around 8:30 p.m.

When they arrived, Bridget Spicer, Holly Faulkner and Francela Jackson were outside crying; one of the women nearly vomited, police said. Spicer told police the kittens were in the bathtub and McGinley was in the bathroom talking to himself.

Spicer said McGinley had arrived home around 8:20 p.m. carrying two injured cats, one in each hand, according to police. When asked what was going on, McGinley allegedly responded, "I ran them over with my truck so I could eat them for dinner."

McGinley walked into the house and put both cats into a bathtub, police said. As he sat in the bathroom talking to himself, Faulkner again asked McGinley about the cats.

"I ran these two cats over with my truck and now they're my dinner. I am going to eat them," was McGinley's alleged response.

Police entered the bathroom and found an intoxicated McGinley sitting there in the blood-splattered room, authorities said.

"Since when was it a crime to get drunk officers?" McGinley slurred before he was taken into custody.

Animal Control Officer Dave Schlott responded to the house and rushed the kittens to Keystone Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Center on West Chester Pike in Havertown.

"When I picked them up, they were both cold. The black one was moving, but the white one was very still," Schlott said. "She was breathing once every 40 seconds and had a very faint heartbeat. It was a team effort by everyone at Keystone to get life back into the white one."

Justina Calgiano, director of community relations for the SPCA, said the kittens were brought to their facility Monday morning.

"As far as I know, they're going to be OK," Calgiano said. "We're still trying to investigate what their injuries are."

Karma, who appeared to be the more seriously injured of the two, had to be placed into an incubator. Her lower lip appears to have been torn and there is blood on her mouth, despite being cleaned up.

But according to Calgiano, Karma is responding to the medical treatment.

"She's very vocal," Calgiano said. "We think they'll be OK. They're being monitored and we're hoping for the best."

If everything goes well for the kittens, they'll be available for adoption in about four weeks.

"It's tough for kittens to survive on their own, let alone having been mistreated like this," Calgiano said.

McGinley has numerous arrests for public drunkenness, being "manifestly under the influence of alcohol," driving under the influence, disorderly conduct and harassment, according to court records.

He was arraigned on charges of cruelty to animals, public drunkenness, recklessly endangering another person, disorderly conduct and harassment.

He was released from custody after posting 10 percent of $20,000 bail.

McGinley is scheduled to appear before Magisterial District Judge Spencer Seaton for a preliminary hearing Oct. 27.

References

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