Norberto Delarosa, 49, was arrested Friday and charged with cruelty to animals. No bail was set.
Witnesses said they saw Delarosa use an electrical cord with Christmas lights on it to pull the dog out of his truck and launch it toward the trash bin Sept. 11, a day after the hurricane made landfall in Southwest Florida, a sheriff's report states.
The dog bounced several times on the pavement before getting wedged between the trash bin and a ramp at the Handy Food Store on Lake Trafford Road, the report says.
A deputy found the dog with its eyes closed and gasping for air, with abrasions on his paws, back and a possible infection in his eye. The Christmas lights were wrapped around the dog's chest near his neck, according to reports.
The dog was taken to a Naples veterinarian. An officer with Collier County Domestic Animal Services told the deputy he was unsure whether the dog would live, the report states.
Three weeks later, Delarosa was found at his home after eyewitness reports identified him as the suspect, the report states.
Delarosa claimed he had saved the dog from floodwaters after Hurricane Irma and appeared hungry. He added that he drove the dog to the trash bin because he claimed that "there seemed to be plenty of food on the ground" for the dog, the report states.
ARREST INFO:
Full Name: Norberto Delarosa
Date:09/29/2017
Arresting Agency: Collier County Sheriff's Office
Arrest Age:49
Gender: Male
Race: Hispanic
Birthdate: 03/08/1968
City: Immokalee, Florida 34142
Height: 5'08"
Weight: 180 lbs
Hair Color: BLK
Eye Color: BRO
Charges
#1 CRUELTY TO ANIMALS - CAUSE CRUEL DEATH PAIN OR SUFFERING
(Naples News - Sept 30, 2017)