A 75-year-old Anaheim woman is facing federal criminal charges after authorities said she intentionally lured a pit bull puppy beneath her minivan and ran it over in an incident captured on surveillance video.
Hanh Minh Nguyen was charged Thursday with one felony count of animal crushing under a 2019 federal law establishing a nationwide prohibition against the act. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of seven years in federal prison.
The case began on Sept. 8 when animal services officers responded to a report of an injured dog in Santa Ana and found a 9-month-old pit bull named Blackey dead on the street. According to Santa Ana Police spokesperson Natalie Garcia, a neighbor told officers she believed a woman had intentionally killed the animal with a minivan. Police subsequently canvassed the area and recovered surveillance footage corroborating the account.
The video shows a woman emerging from a Honda Odyssey, placing kibble on the ground near the driver’s side door, and putting the puppy on the pavement. After the animal rushed to eat the food, the driver got back into the minivan and drove forward, pinning the puppy beneath her back left tire for approximately 15 seconds.
An autopsy indicated that the puppy remained alive for several minutes following the incident and likely suffered severe pain before dying, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s office.
First Assistant U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli condemned the act, stating that luring a defenseless puppy with food only to crush it beneath a vehicle represents an act of appalling cruelty.
In addition to the federal case, Orange County prosecutors have filed state charges against Nguyen, including felony animal cruelty, felony animal abuse by a caretaker, and a sentencing enhancement alleging the personal use of a weapon.
Court records show Nguyen was released from custody on $20,000 bail. She is scheduled to make a court appearance in Santa Ana on Nov. 2.
