Man Seen Beating Dog With Bicycle At Reston Home: Police

RESTON, VA — An officer with Fairfax County Animal Protection Police is investigating the report of an animal cruelty incident involving dogs at a home in Reston, according to court documents.

On Sept. 2, a community member notified the Fairfax County Animal Protection Police about concerns they had about dogs being kept at a home in the 11800 block of Abecorn Court in Reston, according to a Sept. 4 application for a search warrant.

The witness told police he saw a man “… using a child's bicycle to strike what he believed to be a dog in the backyard of the residence," the officer wrote in the application. "He stated the male was using one hand to hold onto the bicycle's handlebar and the other hand on the seat as it was raised up into the air. He stated the dog is heard crying out as he believes the dog is being is stuck by the object. The incident lasted for about five minutes."

The community member then showed the officer two short videos of the incident, according to the warrant application. Although a large fence and tree partially obstructed the view of the yard, the sounds of a dog yelping and howling numerous times could be heard.

"Based on my training and experience the sounds heard are consistent with a dog experiencing immense pain," the officer wrote. "Multiple loud bangs can also be heard immediately followed by a dog crying out in great pain repeatedly. These sounds would be consistent with being struck by an object. A second dog is heard barking in the video during the incident."

The officer spoke to a resident of the home, who said they and their spouse owned two pit bull-type dogs, the court document says. The resident refused to cooperate with the animal cruelty investigation and would not allow the officer to inspect either of the dogs. They also said everyone in the house was asleep at the time of the reported incident and the sounds were coming from a different location.

Multiple neighbors said they had heard the sound of a dog crying out, as if it were being hurt. One of the residents told the officer they had heard the sounds coming from the same area of the yard where and when the animal cruelty was alleged to have happened.

"A second community recorded video footage of the same incident from their door security camera," the officer wrote. "The video footage shows a tall individual within the fenced backyard of [the home in 111800 block of] Abercorn Court. The individual is seen picking up a white object that fit in the palm of their hand and throwing it in a downward motion to a moving white shape on the ground believed to be the dog. As the object is thrown, a yelping sound consistent with a dog reacting to the pain is immediately heard. The white shape is consistent with the size and color of the female pit bull-type dog observed [by the officer]."

On May 7, animal protection police went to the same address to investigate another report of animal cruelty to a dog, the document says. A resident from the same address was seen kicking three dogs they were walking on a leash around the neighborhood.

Based on their investigation, the responding officer determined there was enough evidence of animal cruelty to file a request for a search warrant of the property on Abercorn Court.

The officer intended to search the property for any papers, receipts or documents identifying the residents as the owners of the animals, including rabies certifications, dog licenses, veterinary documentation and animal health records. The officer would also look for any dogs on the property, as well as any bicycle or handheld object used to beat or strike the dog and a crate or cage to house the dog.

Robin Nash, who is a resident at the same address where the animal cruelty incident was reported, has two previous animal-related convictions, according to Fairfax County General District Court records.

On April 17, 2023, Nash was found guilty on two misdemeanor charges of violating the county's leash law for an incident that occurred on March 23, 2023, according to court documents. She was fined $200 and $123 in court costs, both of which remained past due on Tuesday.