A Lakewood man received a five-year prison term Monday for shooting and killing a dog at the side of a road in La Mirada last month, officials said.
Shane Michael Dubyak, 23, pleaded no contest to a single count of cruelty to an animal, along with the special allegation that he used a handgun in the crime, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. He’s also prohibited from owning, possessing or caring for any animals for 10 years, prosecutors said in a written statement.
He was caught on video stopping an SUV in the 16400 block of Phoebe Avenue in La Mirada on Jan. 5, placing the 15-year-old terrier at the side of the road and shooting it with a revolver, prosecutors and L.A. County sheriff’s officials said.
Detectives found the involved SUV and ultimately identified Dubyak as a suspect in the shooting, investigators said shortly after his arrest.
Deputies spotted Dubyak driving in Artesia on Jan. 10, sheriff’s officials said at the time. He led them on a pursuit that ended in Cerritos before being taken into custody. A gun was thrown from the car during the chase and later recovered.
A woman was also arrested in connection with the case, but was released pending further investigation, sheriff’s officials said.
Dubyak was charged with cruelty to an animal, recklessly fleeing police in a motor vehicle, possession of heroin, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
At the time of his arrest, Dubyak was already on post-release community supervision, or felony parole, in connection with an identity theft conviction with a prior conviction, prosecutors said.
If he had been convicted as originally charged, Dubyak could have faced more than 14 years in state prison.