Dog Suffers Skull Fracture; Joliet Man, 52, Lands In Jail: JPD

JOLIET — A 52-year-old Joliet man named Erik Struven is now being held in the Kendall County Jail facing charges of aggravated cruelty to animals after a dog suffered a skull fracture after police say it was beaten by Struven, according to Joliet police arrest logs.

The incident involving the dog happened in the Kendall County portion of Joliet, which is off Ridge Road.

According to Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English, on May 31, at 4:07 p.m., Joliet police responded to a residence in the 7700 block of Mossheather Drive for a disturbance. Joliet police met with a woman who owned a 7-month-old goldendoodle breed dog, and she relayed to officers that on the prior evening, she left her dog in the possession of her uncle, Struven, while she went to work.

While her dog was in Struven’s care, she learned the dog suffered an unknown injury, police said. The dog was taken to a veterinarian, who determined that the dog suffered a fractured skull.

Upon arriving back home, English said the woman learned that Struven was seen striking the dog in the head multiple times with a closed fist. Struven indicated to his niece that he did strike the dog, according to police.

Struven was at the house and was placed into custody without incident, English said.