Man in Custody After Kicking Chihuahua at Police Station Lobby

A man was in custody Monday after allegedly kicking a Chihuahua several times in the lobby of the South Pasadena police station, authorities said.

The incident occurred about 10 a.m. Saturday, according to the South Pasadena Police Department.

Christian Andrew Najera, 48, of Los Angeles was booked on suspicion of animal cruelty, police said. Najera was held on $20,000 bail, and was scheduled to appear in court in Alhambra on Tuesday, according to the sheriff’s department.

According to police, a police records clerk working near the front lobby heard a man yelling.

“When she looked at the monitor that was displaying a live video feed of the lobby, she saw the suspect with a small Chihuahua on a leash exiting the lobby,” a police statement said.

“The records clerk then saw the suspect return to the lobby where he kicked the dog,” police said. “As she continued to monitor the live feed, she notified a police dispatcher as to what was happening.

“The records clerk then saw the suspect kick the dog several more times and violently swing it in the air by its leash in a circular motion. The suspect then left the lobby with the dog while being followed by the records clerk and (the) police dispatcher,” police said.

Responding officers arrested the suspect. The dog had undetermined injuries and was turned over to the custody of the Pasadena Humane Society.

--City News Service, photo via Shutterstock