SANTA ANA, Calif. (CNS) — A 75-year-old woman was arrested Thursday on suspicion of intentionally running over and killing a puppy in Santa Ana in September.
Hahn Nguyen was booked on suspicion of animal cruelty and animal abandonment, police said.
Investigators used automated license plate readers to track down the suspect’s vehicle in Anaheim, where they arrested Nguyen and the vehicle was found in her garage, according to the Santa Ana Police Department.
Nguyen allegedly said it was her puppy, named Blackey, police said.
Santa Ana police on Wednesday had asked for the public’s help tracking down the suspect.
Police were alerted to a dead black-and-white male pit bull mix puppy on Sept. 8 near 900 W. Park Lane, police said.
A neighbor told investigators a woman in a minivan deliberately ran over the canine, police said. Officers tracked down surveillance video, which was posted on the department’s social media page, to aid in tracking down the culprit.
The driver ran over the puppy about 9:15 a.m. in an older, blue or green Honda Odyssey with a roof rack, police said. The woman behind the wheel took the puppy out of the vehicle and put dog food nearby, which lured the dog to a spot where the driver ran over the puppy, police said.
Santa Ana police are searching for a woman driving a minivan accused of intentionally running over a puppy in Santa Ana.
The driver appeared to stop on top of the puppy for about 15 seconds before driving away north on Lowell Street, police said.
Anyone who has information helpful to investigators was asked to call 714-245-8378.
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