Man hit, killed dog with a baseball bat in Clermont, police say

Brian Rumler, 62, faces aggravated animal cruelty charge

Brian Rumler, 62 (Copyright 2022 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.)

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – A man is accused of grabbing a baseball bat from the garage of a Clermont home to hit and kill a dog that bit him, according to an arrest affidavit.

Police arrested Brian Rumler, 62, on Sunday night in Clermont.

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The affidavit said police were called to the home on Hurston Watch Lane around 6 p.m. and an officer met with a man who said his mother told him their dog died after being hit in the head with a bat by Rumler.

According to the affidavit, it was reported to police the dog had previously bit the mother.

Rumler told police he was bit by the dog while he was alone in the home and when the dog walked off, he got up from the couch and went to the garage to get the bat, records show.

The affidavit said “there was a reasonable amount of time from when [the dog] bit him to when he walked into the garage.”

Police were told by Rumler he grabbed a bat, hit the dog on the top of the head and walked away, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit said it was determined by animal control that Rumler did not hit the dog in self-defense.

Rumler faces a charge of aggravated animal cruelty and was booked into the Lake County jail.


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About the Author

Brenda Argueta is a digital journalist who joined ClickOrlando.com in March 2021. She is the author of the Central Florida Happenings newsletter that goes out every Thursday.

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