Eric Bethel, whose case had been suspended pending a psychological evaluation, was recently deemed mentally competent to stand trial and is set to have his preliminary hearing Thursday in Shasta County Superior Court.
Bethel is also charged with felony vandalism and misdemeanor resisting arrest. He was taken into custody April 20 after a motorcycle police officer spotted him causing a disturbance and screaming at traffic on Hartnell Avenue, according to a Redding police report.
Officer Bryan Cowan wrote in his report he saw Bethel strike the pit bull, who was off her leash, about four times with the metal part of the leash and screaming profanities, wishing the dog would die.
At that point, the police report said, Bethel picked up the dog, named Dinah, and threw her in front of a car driving eastbound on Hartnell Avenue.
The driver, however, was able to swerve around the dog without hitting her.
Cowan wrote in his report that he pulled up to Bethel, got off his motorcycle and repeatedly ordered him to sit on the curb. But Bethel ignored those commands, he said.
Bethel, walked away, damaged two vehicles in a parking lot by pounding on them with his fists before Cowan arrested him, Cowan wrote.
According to Cowan's report, several people who work in the area told him they had have seen Bethel abuse his dog over the past few months.
"They stated they have seen him hang the dog by the leash and punch it repeatedly while walking down the street," he wrote.
But, he wrote, Bethel and the dog were gone by the time police and animal control officials arrived on the scene after those witnesses reported the abuse.
Dinah was turned over to animal regulation officers after Bethel's arrest and is now available for adoption at the Haven Humane Society's animal shelter complex on Eastside Road in Redding.
Bethel already has a prior conviction for first-degree residential robbery.
( Redding Record Searchlight - Aug 5 2016)
Found to be innocent. The cop was found to be lying. No witness excpet one whom discredited the cops statement. Animal control stated it was no injuries to his dog. And never seen any signs of abuse on serval times he was contacted by her. This was a case of remove a mentaly dissabled man from the streets. Because he was homeless.
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