Five-year-old Misty was heavily sedated at Tri-County Animal Hospital Wednesday night after being tied to the bumper of her owner's sports utility vehicle and dragged 10 blocks to Orange Avenue. The Black Labrador mix breed sustained severe road rash. Portions of the wound extend as deep as the dog's bone, according to Fort Pierce Police spokeswoman Audria Moore.
Saintil Killick, 51, of the 1100 block of Hemlock Circle, claimed he "forgot" tying Misty to the bumper of his white Toyota SUV. He then dragged the dog from the 1000 block of North 33rd Street to Orange Avenue around 9:30 a.m., according to reports. He was issued a mandatory court order appearance on June 13 for animal cruelty.
One code officer's note reads: "The animal (dog) was pulled from the back of trailer causing major wounds." Another official noted that Killick had an "uncaring" attitude. Killick was issued three traffic citations for a broken tail light on a trailer, no tag displayed and animal cruelty; he received two code violations for animal care and restraint.
Witnesses who called 911 also reported that Killick untied Misty on Orange Avenue and left. He then returned and took her to a veterinary clinic on Okeechobee Road. Killick told workers there he could not pay for the dog's treatment, reports said. Animal Control officers, who had followed Killick to the clinic, took Misty to the Humane Society of St. Lucie County. Shelter officials decided Misty needed to be taken to Tri-County Animal Hospital, reports said.
The investigation is ongoing, Moore said, and Killick could face further penalties.
Misty stayed at the animal hospital that night and will need extensive surgery, according to Moore. "They're keeping her comfortable," she said.
Case UpdatesA man accused of dragging his dog behind his truck, saying he "forgot" she was tied to it, has agreed to a plea deal that will keep him out of jail.
Killick Saintil, 51, was charged with a misdemeanor count of animal cruelty after his black Labrador, Misty, suffered severe road rash and bruises in May while being dragged 10 blocks down Orange Avenue while tied to a trailer attached to his truck. The case was set for trial Sept. 18, but both sides agreed Saintil will plead no contest to the charge and face sentencing the same day.
Assistant Public Defender Ashley Harber filed a motion for a change of venue last month, citing the amount of coverage in local newspapers and on TV and the Internet. It noted there were at least 20 animal-oriented Web sites, such as www.pet-abuse.com, that included information on the case and said the "intense pretrial publicity" would make finding a jury difficult.
The motion was withdrawn after Saintil agreed to accept an offer from prosecutors involving no jail time, Harber said. He rejected earlier plea deals and was ready to go to trial before the latest offer, she said.
Assistant State Attorney Josh Neally confirmed an agreement had been reached, but declined to discuss the details until Saintil officially enters his new plea. The charge carries a maximum of a year in jail and a $500 fine.
Saintil also was given civil citations for animal care, not having a dog restraint, improper display of tag and nonworking taillights. He paid $149 in fines in June and $342 in August to resolve those citations.
He allegedly told police he forgot the 45-pound dog was tied behind his trailer and a witness said he initially untied Misty and left her before returning to the scene. Saintil took her to Tri-County Animal Hospital, but told clinic workers he could not pay for her treatment.
Two days after the incident, he signed ownership of Misty over to the St. Lucie County Humane Society.
His wife, Romene, said in a previous interview Saintil was devastated by what happened and they would have paid for the treatment if they could afford it. She said the family had no other pets.
Misty spent six weeks undergoing skin grafts and surgery at Tri-County. About three weeks later, she had weeklong, twice-daily treatment in a hyperbolic chamber to bring oxygen to her wounds for faster healing.
Over a period of several weeks, the Humane Society received almost $17,000 in donations to help with Misty's treatment. On June 13, she left the hospital with her new owner, veterinary technician Sheila DiPietro, who had been caring for her.
� Killick Saintil, 51, was charged with a misdemeanor count of animal cruelty after his black Labrador, Misty, was dragged 10 blocks while tied to a trailer attached to his truck.
� He is scheduled to enter a no contest plea to the animal cruelty charge and be sentenced Sept. 18. According to the public defender's office, the plea will involve no jail time. | Source: TCPalm - Sept 9, 2006 Update posted on Nov 9, 2006 - 4:26PM |
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