A Cape Coral man is accused of stealing his girlfriend’s vehicle and driving it into a canal with her puppy left inside.
Michael Eugene Young, 30, of 345 S.W. 28th Place, was arrested Thursday and charged with grand theft of vehicle and conservation animals cause cruel death pain and suffering. Young was denied bond and remained in jail Friday.
On May 27, Cape police responded to a home where a woman stated that her boyfriend, Young, had told her that he was carjacked and that her vehicle had been stolen. She filed a police report, and added that her puppy was missing.
When officers questioned Young about the alleged carjacking, he reportedly refused to cooperate. He reportedly became evasive and told police that he did not get beat up and that he did not know where the car was. He also did not appear to have any marks on him to indicate that he was carjacked.
On Wednesday, police were called to the 3100 block of Ceitus Parkway about a submerged vehicle in a canal. It turned out to be the woman’s 2006 Toyota Corolla. Inside the vehicle, police discovered the woman’s boxer puppy dead.
During an interview with Young’s roommate, officers learned that the night that the car went missing, the couple had been arguing. According to a police report, the roommate stated that he saw Young leave in the woman’s vehicle with the boxer puppy.
Young reportedly returned about 30 minutes later on foot without the dog. The roommate stated that he was wearing no shirt and his shorts and shoes were wet. Young reportedly told the man that “the dog is dead,” and added that “the dog and the care are in the canal.”
According to the report, Young said the car was in a canal behind the Publix at Burnt Store Road and Pine Island Road. The roommate went to the location but could not find the vehicle. Young told the man several versions of what happened, from a carjacking, to him parking the car to close to the water.
On Thursday, detectives questioned Young about the incident. He told police that he walked the dog out on a leash. When he opened the car, he was hit on the back of the head and knocked unconscious. He said when he woke up, the car and the dog were gone.
Young was taken into custody and transferred to the Lee County Jail.
He has court dates scheduled for June 21 and August. 5.