• 2 TEENS ACCUSED OF FEEDING LIVE CAT TO 2 DOGS: BAKERSFIELD (AP) — Two teenagers accused of feeding a live cat to two dogs, videotaping the attack and posting it online have been arrested in central California on suspicion of cruelty to an animal.
The Bakersfield Californian reports that while the incident apparently occurred over the summer, Animal Control wasn’t contacted until Dec. 4 after a person reported receiving the graphic video on a social networking site.
Sheriff’s deputies said the video appeared to show two large dogs being fed a live cat while voices in the background encouraged the dogs to attack.
Detectives arrested a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old last week. Both teens were booked into Juvenile Hall.
• CAR PLUNGES THROUGH ROOF OF CALIFORNIA HOME: ESCONDIDO (AP) — A sport utility vehicle went airborne and sailed through the roof of a home in California’s San Diego County, but the residents inside weren’t hurt.
The crash happened shortly before 12:30 a.m. Wednesday in Escondido.
Police tell U-T San Diego (http://bit.ly/138yhU5 ) the driver of a BMW lost control during a turn, went off a road and plunged through the roof of a home that sits about 20 feet below the roadway.
Sgt. Jim Lanigan says the car was a loaner from a dealership and the driver fled.
Homeowner George Strother says the BMW landed on the hood of his Nissan Pathfinder in his garage and knocked the ceiling down onto another car. He and his wife weren’t hurt.
• NORTHERN CALIFORNIA POLICE CHIEF JOINS PEACEFUL PROTEST: RICHMOND (AP) — A Northern California police chief noted for his community policing efforts raised a few eyebrows when he joined a peaceful protest, holding a sign with the popular Twitter hashtag of “blacklivesmatter.”
The Contra Costa Times reported Wednesday that Richmond Police Chief Chris Magnus joined a protest against police brutality in his city on Tuesday. The Tuesday afternoon protest, one of many in the San Francisco Bay Area this week, was organized by a Richmond youth center.
About 100 people lined a busy Richmond street at noon, holding signing and listening to recordings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speeches. The city’s mayor and several councilmembers also attended.
Magnus said he attended to show the department’s commitment to peaceful protest and that minority lives matter.
• MAN CHARGED WITH KILLING EX-LOVER’S PET RABBIT: LOS ANGELES (AP) — A TV and video game actor was charged with killing and cooking his ex-girlfriend’s pet rabbit, sending her grisly photos of the procedure and threatening to do the same thing to her, authorities said Wednesday.
Dimitri Diatchenko, 46, of North Hollywood, was charged on Tuesday with felony counts of cruelty to an animal with use of a knife and making criminal threats.
He faces up to four years and eight months in prison if convicted.
Diatchenko was free on bail. His manager, Barry Bookin, declined comment.
According to Los Angeles County prosecutors, Diatchenko had been living with the woman for some time after their romantic relationship had ended.
She told Diatchenko that they should stop being roommates, prosecutors said.
On Dec. 7, while she was out of the house, Diatchenko killed the rabbit, authorities said.
“Diatchenko skinned the pet, cooked it and ate half of it while sending her step-by-step pictures of what he did” according to a statement from the county district attorney’s office. “When she returned the defendant allegedly told her he would do the same to her.”
