Nathan Begay, a 41-year-old electrician who works in Durango, appeared shackled in an orange jumpsuit, sniffling and wiping his face with a tissue.<\/p>\n
His public defender, Annie Woods, consoled and advised her client with a whisper and hand on his shoulder.<\/p>\n
Woods said the pit bull mix, named Sergeant, belonged to Begay.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe called him his best friend,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Witnesses told law enforcement Tuesday they saw a dark-colored pickup dragging a chain with a dead dog on the end about 9:30 p.m. on north Main Avenue in Durango, according to an arrest affidavit.<\/p>\n
At least one person took pictures as Begay exited the vehicle \u2013 so intoxicated that he could barely stand, unchained the dog and left its corpse in the middle of the street, law enforcement said.<\/p>\n
Police broadcast a description of the vehicle and the man to area law enforcement. A La Plata County Sheriff\u2019s Office deputy stopped a truck and a driver matching the description in the 100 block of East Animas Road (County Road 250), about 1\u00bd miles east of where the dog was found, according to the arrest affidavit.<\/p>\n
Begay was arrested on suspicion of aggravated cruelty to animals, a Class 6 felony, and misdemeanor driving under the influence. He told law enforcement he \u201cdrank 12\u201d and that it wasn\u2019t safe for him to be driving. Begay was driving on a revoked license out of Arizona and had empty beer cans in the bed of his truck.<\/p>\n
Woods said that although the details of arresting documents \u201cbrings a visceral reaction to most,\u201d her client cared about the dog and chained him to the bed of his pickup to keep Sergeant from jumping out of the truck.<\/p>\n
A witness who got Begay to pull over told law enforcement that when he told Begay about the dog, Begay said, \u201cI know,\u201d according to arresting documents. Woods said that if her client said anything to the witness, it was more to the effect of, \u201cI didn\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Begay tried to pick up the dog\u2019s body and put it in the bed of the truck, but people started yelling and he was in shock, so he left, Woods said. The dog had injuries to its paws and face, arresting documents show.<\/p>\n
Judge Dondi Osborne set Begay\u2019s bail at $5,000. His next scheduled court appearance is Aug. 23.<\/p>\n