Crime & Safety
Man Threw 2 Kittens From Moving SUV On U.S. 1 In FL Keys: Sheriff
One kitten thrown from a moving SUV on U.S. 1 was hit by a car and died. The other was eventually caught and adopted, sheriff's office said.
FLORIDA KEYS — An Islamorada man faces criminal charges after tossing two kittens from a moving vehicle on U.S. 1 at the end of November, according to a news release from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Diego Torres Ruiz, 29, was arrested Thursday and charged with two counts of animal cruelty, the agency said.
On Nov. 28, a driver reported seeing two kittens thrown from an SUV heading north on the highway near mile marker 87, the sheriff’s office said. Cars swerved to avoid hitting them.
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The witness gave deputies the license plate number and description of the SUV. Ruiz was pulled over shortly after this, but denied knowing anything about the kittens, according to MCSO.
Because the cats weren’t immediately found, he was released. Deputies continued looking for the kittens, though.
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Later that day, one was found dead after being hit by a car, the sheriff’s office said. The second kitten ran into the woods, out of sight, but was later found by a Rain Barrel Village employee and brought to Whiskers & Paws in Key Largo with non-life-threatening injuries.
The witness, who adopted the kitten that survived, confirmed that they looked like the ones thrown onto U.S. 1 and identified Ruiz’s SUV, MCSO said.
“I take these incidents very seriously and I’m happy to report an arrest was made in this case,” Sheriff Rick Ramsay said.
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