DELTONA, Fla. – A Deltona man was arrested after he was spotted “mercilessly beating” his dog near a local Circle K on Thursday, according to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office.
In a release, deputies provided footage taken of the man — identified as Jose Rivera, 31 — who was shirtless and striking the dog outside of the gas station.
Another man could be seen approaching Rivera, blocking him from getting to the dog, the footage reveals.
“Get that dog away from him!” the man can be heard shouting toward other witnesses.
According to deputies, Rivera attacked witnesses at the gas station, and a man was filmed restraining him.
Deputies ultimately arrived at the scene and took Rivera into custody.
“The dog is doing OK and was turned over to Deltona Animal Control, which placed the dog in a home where Rivera does NOT live,” the release reads.
Rivera faces charges of animal cruelty, as well as charges of resisting an officer, child abuse and three counts of battery stemming from his attacks on the witnesses, deputies said. He is held on bond of $26,000.
“I want to PUBLICLY THANK the witnesses who saw the abuse, intervened, and called us!” Chitwood wrote on Friday.
Watch the footage released by the sheriff’s office by clicking in the media player below.
[CAUTION: VIDEO CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE]
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