SOUTH OGDEN, Utah, April 2, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — A South Ogden man was allegedly captured on a doorbell cam abusing a cat.
A probable cause statement from the 2nd District Court of Weber County said Jarek Lansford, 20, is facing charges of:
- Aggravated cruelty to animals, a third-degree felony
- Reckless driving, a class B misdemeanor
- Possession of a controlled substance, marijuana/spice, a class B misdemeanor
- Use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor
- Drive on a suspended or revoked license, a class C misdemeanor
- No driver’s license in possession, an infraction
- Failure to wear a seat belt, an infraction
The suspect was contacted on Wednesday afternoon after a homeowner identified him on the home RING camera system abusing a cat that lived in a residence, the statement said. The video was sent to the arresting officer by email.
“On the video the subject is clearly visible and easily identifiable,” the statement said. “The subject is shown with a very tight grip around a small cat’s neck and throat taking it out the front door. The subject is observed smashing the cat into the ground and continues squeezing it. The subject then with full body weight presses down crushing into the cat with his hands and weight.”
The subject then tried to hit the cat with his right arm, then stood up and kicked the cat, the statement said.
When the arresting officer went to the suspect’s home to speak to him, he was driving by in a green pickup intending to return home, the statement said. The suspect made eye contact with officials then fled at a high rate of speed, the statement said.
The officer caught up with the suspect about a mile away. The suspect was not wearing a seat belt, had no driver’s license in his possession and his license is suspended, the statement added.
After he was transported to the police station and read his Miranda rights, the suspect said “he fled because he had some active warrants,” the statement said. “He further admitted that he was going ‘kinda fast.’ The subject later admitted to the possession of marijuana dabs and a pipe used to ingest the marijuana.”
The suspect also allegedly admitted to intentionally hurting the cat to “get it back,” the statement said. “He stated the cat kept climbing on the back of the couch which he did not like,” the statement said. “He admitted to taking it outside by the neck and throat, smashing it into the ground and trying to hit and kick the cat.”
The statement said officials then used a brighter screen to view footage of the alleged abuse and “was able to see the suspect actually pick the cat up after crushing it and swing it into a large adjacent tree. He then ‘drop kicked’ the cat.”
Lansford was transported to Weber County Jail with his bail set at $7,488.
People like this are the ones that hurt children. How chicken shis can you be to kill a innocent cat. And all those charges and his bail is so low. May you be reincarnated as an abused animal that no one helps.