14-year-old pet bearded dragon stabbed
San Carlos, CA (US)

Incident Date: Saturday, Aug 13, 2011
County: San Mateo

Charges: Felony CTA, Felony Non-CTA
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Shawna Kim Apour

Case Updates: 2 update(s) available

A San Carlos woman fatally stabbed her boyfriend's 14-year-old pet lizard, Speedy, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office.

Shawna Kim Apour, 37, is facing several felony charges, including animal cruelty, in connection with the stabbing as well as others for a separate incident in which she allegedly tried to wrestle a firearm from a sheriff's deputy.

Deputies first encountered Apour while responding to domestic disturbance on the 1000 block of Crestview Drive at about 3:40 a.m. Saturday, said sheriff's Lt. Ray Lunny. The woman allegedly brandished a knife at deputies, who used a stun gun to subdue her.

They discovered Apour had stabbed her boyfriend's bearded dragon with a three-inch blade, Lunny said. The reptile received three stitches and had been expected to survive, but Speedy died earlier this week, said District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe, who plans to ask the Peninsula Humane Society to perform a necropsy to officially determine the cause of death.

"Something happened and Speedy didn't have a good night," Wagstaffe said of the lizard's unexpected turn for the worse.

Bearded dragons are legal to own and are prized for being easy to handle and care for, said Peninsula Humane Society spokesman Scott Delucchi.

Further investigation also revealed Apour had vandalized several cars in the neighborhood, Lunny said. She was booked into county jail Saturday and released on bail.

On Tuesday at about 7 p.m., Deputy Bridget Hensley found Apour walking on the railroad tracks near the San Carlos Caltrain station. She became aggressive and tried to take Hensley's firearm and stun gun, but the deputy was able to hold her off until help arrived, Lunny said. She was arrested and booked into county jail again.

In connection with the incident Saturday, Apour has been charged with felony domestic violence, animal cruelty and three counts of vandalism, Wagstaffe said. She is also facing misdemeanors for brandishing a knife and resisting arrest.

She has also been charged with felonies for obstructing a peace officer and resisting arrest while trying to take a peace officer's firearm, as well as misdemeanors for resisting arrest and trespassing on the train tracks.

"It's very bizarre behavior by the defendant," Wagstaffe said.

Apour, whose bail has been set at $200,000, remains in county jail.

She could enter a plea when she appears in court Friday, Wagstaffe said. A phone call to her attorney's office after 6 p.m. Wednesday was not immediately returned.

Anyone with information concerning either incident is asked to call sheriff's Detective Linda Gibbons at 650-363-4063 or the sheriff's office anonymous tip line at 800-547-2700.

Case Updates

References

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