Man charged with throwing, killing toy poodle

Police say that a 24-year-old Oak Harbor man killed his wife’s toy poodle by throwing it against a wall, court documents indicate.

Prosecutors charged Carlos Jimenez in Island County Superior Court July 13 with animal cruelty in the first degree, which is a felony charge. If convicted, he could face from one to three months in jail under the standard sentencing range.

Jimenez pleaded not guilty July 26.

Detective Mike Bailey with the Oak Harbor Police Department investigated the case after Jimenez’s wife reported that he had harmed the 7-month-old dog.

In an interview with the police, Jimenez admitted that he threw the small dog against the wall, the police report states. Jimenez said he was trying to train the dog inside the garage, but it wouldn’t listen. He got angry and threw it against the wall, causing the animal to cry out and bleed from the mouth, the report states.

Jimenez brought the dog inside, laid it on a towel and put a fan on it. His wife came home, saw the injured dog and brought it to a veterinarian’s office, where it died. The veterinarian said the cause of death was “a severe brain injury,” Bailey wrote.

The woman said that she had previously tried to give the dog to the animal shelter because Jiminez was so rough, including disciplining the poodle by hitting and kicking it, the report states.

Yet Jimenez indicated to police that he didn’t harm the dog on purpose.

“Carlos stated that he didn’t want to hurt his dog; that he loves his dog; that he feels really bad,” Bailey wrote.

At a July 26 hearing, Superior Court Judge Vickie Churchill ordered that Jimenez not possess any dogs or cats as a condition of his release.

Contact Whidbey News Times Assistant editor Jessie Stensland at jstensland@whidbeynewsgroup.com or 360.675.6611 ext. 5056.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.