A 64-year-old Ocean View man accused of killing one of his dogs has been freed from custody on supervised release, a form of cashless bail.
Robert P. Harris is charged with first-degree cruelty to animals, marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Harris was arrested early Friday evening after Ka‘u patrol officers responded to a report of a disturbance in the area of King Kamehameha Boulevard and Aloha Boulevard in the Hawaiian Ocean View Estates subdivision.
According to police, dispatch received information that a man was attempting to break up dogs that were fighting. However, another caller reported seeing a man abusing his dogs. Upon arrival, officers found a medium-size black dog lying dead in the middle of the road. The canine had what appeared to be several puncture wounds to the right side of its body.
The manwas reported by a witness to be kicking the dog minutes before the dog’s body was found.
Officers quickly found and contacted the man, later identified as Harris, about one block from the scene. Police say Harris’ hands were covered in blood and that he had a knife with a bloody blade.
According to police, Harris also acknowledged that the dead dog was his.
Harris was arrested on the animal cruelty charge. A search of Harris turned up a marijuana smoking pipe, police said.
At Harris’ initial court appearance, Monday, Deputy Public Defender David Saiki asked that Harris, who was being held on $5,000 bail, be freed on supervised release, as recommended by the Intake Service Center. There was no objection by Deputy Prosecutor Robert Gebbia, and Kona District Judge Ann Datta granted the defense request.
Datta ordered Harris to return for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 20.
The first-degree animal cruelty charge is a Class C felony that carries a potential five-year prison sentence, upon conviction.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com