Santa Ana police are searching for a driver recorded on surveillance video deliberately running over and killing a 9-month-old puppy on Sept. 8. Investigators released the footage to the public to help identify the woman responsible for the incident on West Park Lane.
Surveillance Footage Captures Sept. 8 Incident on West Park Lane
The Santa Ana Police Department responded to the 900 block of West Park Lane on Sept. 8 after a black-and-white male pit bull mix was found run over. A neighbor told officers that a woman intentionally killed the puppy using a minivan. Police subsequently recovered a security camera recording from resident Donato Orlando that corroborated the report.
The video, timed at 9:15 a.m., shows a woman emerging from an older blue or green Honda Odyssey equipped with a roof rack parked at 926 W. Park Lane. She places dog kibble on the ground near the driver’s door and sets the puppy down. As the animal rushes to eat, the driver gets back into the minivan and moves forward, pinning the puppy beneath her back left tire for approximately 15 seconds. The driver then proceeds northbound on Lowell Street, leaving the mortally wounded animal behind.
Police and Resident Reactions to the Graphic Video
Law enforcement officials and neighborhood residents described the footage as deeply disturbing. Santa Ana Police Department spokesperson Officer Natalie Garcia called it one of the worst instances of animal abuse she has encountered during her career. “It’s completely horrendous,” Garcia said, noting that the video shows the driver looking back toward the puppy before eventually driving away.
Donato Orlando, the resident who provided the security footage, expressed shock over the act. “It was horrible,” Orlando said. “I don’t know how somebody would even do something like that to any animal.” Police noted that the footage remains difficult to view even for veteran officers.
Potential Legal Penalties for Animal Cruelty in California
Under California law, the malicious and intentional killing of an animal can be prosecuted as felony animal cruelty. A conviction carries penalties of up to three years in county jail and fines reaching $20,000. Courts have previously imposed prison sentences for similar offenses in the state, such as a 2024 case in San Diego County where a man received a two-year prison term for deliberately running over a dog during a road rage incident.
How to Help Santa Ana Police Identify the Driver
Investigators are urging anyone with information regarding the identity of the woman or the vehicle involved to come forward. The Santa Ana Police Department asks community members who recognize the older blue or green Honda Odyssey with a roof rack to contact detectives at (714) 245-8378.
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