Centralia Police have arrested a 20-year-old Centralia man for aggravated animal cruelty after he allegedly dumped his dog injured in an earlier accident along the Walnut Hill Road in front of Centralia Propane on Monday night.
Lieutenant Steve Whritenour says Dakwan Wallace was arrested after the driver of the car who struck the dog on the Country Club Road responded to a social media post to see if it may be the same dog he had struck earlier. That turned out to be the case. The driver then led police to Wallace for questioning since he had gone to Wallace’s home to help him bring blankets to wrap the dog after striking it. When the driver left, Wallace had indicated he was going to take the dog to a 24-hour vet in Mt. Vernon.
Police say Wallace was uncooperative and refused to answer questions during the investigation, but the driver positively identified Wallac as the owner of the dog he had dealt with the previous day.
Meanwhile, the seven-month-old pit bull is recovering from its injuries after employees at Centralia Propane took the dog to Douglas Veterinary Clinic in Salem under Whritenour’s direction. The dog had to undergo surgery on Tuesday and is now eating and walking around. The dog is still being monitored for a brain injury.
Wallace was released on a notice to appear pending further court action.
