Angry homeowner runs over dog in front of owner for chasing chicken, Utah cops say

A Utah man was arrested after police said he killed a dog by running it over with his car.

Lonnie Campbell, 63, is accused of killing the dog after he said it pulled away from its owner, ran into his yard and chased after his chickens, according to KUTV.

He was arrested and charged on Monday with aggravated cruelty to animals and booked into Carbon County Jail, the TV station reported.

A man was walking his Alaskan Malamute named Kain on Monday morning when the “dog pulled away from the victim and entered the backyard of a residence,” according to a police affidavit, Deseret News reported. “The victim wasn’t able to maintain his hold on the dog’s leash due to the dog’s instinct to run after the chicken located in the backyard.”

Campbell told police he got into his truck and chased the dog because he was angry, the Deseret News reported, quoting the affidavit. He had planned to “hit it in the head” but ultimately ran over the dog with with his truck.

Campbell “said he knew he probably killed the dog,” the newspaper reported.

He also said “he lost his temper and shouldn’t have,” Gephardt Daily reported, citing a probable cause statement from 7th District Court of Carbon County. Campbell also “considers his chicken as a pet.”

The dog was found less than a mile away from Campbell’s house and was dead, according Gephardt Daily.

This story was originally published February 18, 2020 at 12:05 PM with the headline "Angry homeowner runs over dog in front of owner for chasing chicken, Utah cops say."