South Texas cop arrested after unattended police dog dies in cruiser

Juan Cerrillo was arrested Saturday and charged with cruelty to a non-livestock animal after he left his police-assigned canine partner in a car and it died. Juan Cerrillo was arrested Saturday and charged with cruelty to a non-livestock animal after he left his police-assigned canine partner in a car and it died. Photo: Texas Department Of Public Safety Photo: Texas Department Of Public Safety Image 1 of / 50 Caption Close South Texas cop arrested after unattended police dog dies in cruiser 1 / 50 Back to Gallery

A South Texas police officer is facing a misdemeanor cruelty to a non-livestock animal charge after his police dog died in his unattended police cruiser last week, a news release stated.

According to a McAllen Police Department release, San Juan Police Department Officer Juan Luis Cerrillo, 37, called police around 5:30 p.m. on June 3 to notify them he left his dog in the car alone. By the time police arrived at the 2400 block of north I street, the Belgian Malinois was dead.

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San Juan City Manager Ben Arjona told ValleyCentral.com the incident was an "unfortunate accident."

Cerrillo was booked and released on Saturday. He faces a class A misdemeanor charge.

Officials at the San Juan Police Department did not comment on Cerrillo's arrest and there is no word if he will face suspension or termination. Police said they will determine the dog's cause of death after a necropsy is performed.

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This, however, is not Cerrillo's first brush with the law. Cerrillo was arrested in 2000, and again in 2006 — both times he was charged with driving while intoxicated, and both times the charges were dismissed.

MMedina@mySA.com

Twitter:@MariahMedinaaa