A 25-year-old Redford Township man is facing charges after an alleged incident of animal cruelty that resulted in the death of a kitten. According to WWJ Newsradio, Brandon Lee Dwayne Littke is accused of throwing two kittens from his vehicle at a Detroit gas station and then running one of them over with his car. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy charged him with one count of Animals Killing/Torturing and one count of Abandoning 2 to 3 Animals.
The events unfolded on the morning of April 21 when Littke allegedly discarded the kittens at around 11:30 a.m., at a location on the 24800 block of West Seven Mile Road, near Telegraph in Detroit. The Detroit Police Department's investigation led to Littke's arrest on April 24. His arraignment occurred on April 27 in the 36th District Court, where he was given a $25,000 personal bond, "No living being should ever be thrown from a moving vehicle. Ever. Does this really need to be said?" Worthy stated, denouncing the actions of the defendant as criminal and unacceptable in her statement to CBS Detroit.
Further detailing the case, The Detroit News reports that the surviving kitten, rescued by a woman at the scene, has been named "Diesel," a nod to the gas station where the events took place. The kitten has since been treated at Michigan Humane. Worthy emphasized the gravity of the allegations, saying, "The alleged actions of the defendant in this case are criminal and not acceptable on any level.”
Littke's legal proceedings are ongoing, with a Probable Cause Conference scheduled for May 7 and the Preliminary Examination due for May 14, as per CBS News. He was released on his own recognizance following his arraignment, and online court records do not yet list an attorney for him. The charge of killing or torturing animals in the third degree carries a potential sentence of up four years in prison and a $5,000 fine, whereas the misdemeanor abandonment charge could result in up to a year behind bars and a $2,000 fine, as reported by The Detroit News.
