(WHAS11) WHAS News has obtained disturbing police dash cam video from Southern Kentucky that shows a van dragging a dog behind it for miles.
We did not show those graphic images.
The woman driving the van is in jail and the man who owns the dog told us he doesn’t blame her.
Deputy Brian Pickard, Taylor County Sheriff’s Office: “We received a call of a black van coming east on U.S. 68 coming from Vergy Lane dragging a dog. I thought maybe somebody thought they saw a van pulling a dog, dragging a dog, but never in a thousand years did I think I would have actually met a vehicle dragging a dog.”
But that’s exactly what Deputy Brian Pickard said he saw when he got close enough to the van.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said Pickard.
He said he immediately turned on his lights, hoping to get the driver, 36-year-old Kristy Nelson, to pull over as fast as possible. As you can see in the dash cam video, Nelson continues driving another 100 to 150 feet before turning and finally stopping on the side of the road.
“The first thing we did was take the leash off the dog. The dog was taking some very shallow breaths. He was trying to breathe. It took about four or five breaths and then two or three minutes after she stopped, the dog took its last breath.”
Nelson was arrested and charged with D.U.I. her second in just five years, and torture of a cat or dog, but the dog’s owner said she should never have been inside the courthouse.
Eddie Pickett, owner of dog that was dragged, said “If I have to go to the court as a friend of the court, to defend her or through some of my attorney friends, I will do that. Luke had a great personality, Luke was a great companion and I miss him. Sure I have some inner grief as to how he died, but the method is overcome by the peaceful thought that he doesn’t have to stay here on earth, where people are prosecuted for things they had no control over.”
Nelsons pleaded not guilty to the charges during her arraignment Friday. Her bond was originally set at $1,500, but Friday in court the judge revoked it completely.
Police said she showed no remorse for what happened to the dog. In fact, police told us she was much more concerned about going to jail than dog.
