What started as a road-rage dustup on a Hillsboro street ended in one family’s backyard with a shattered fence and a buried dog.
On Thursday, a fleeing driver crashed through a homeowner’s wooden fence and into the yard, killing the family dog, Kimbo. Homeowner Juan Aguilar said he found his pet and buried him in the yard shortly afterward, telling reporters at the scene that he “had no words.”
According to Local 12, the chase began Thursday morning after one driver reportedly threatened another with a gun. Police detained a passenger in the vehicle, but the driver took off and, police say, intentionally drove through Aguilar’s fence while trying to escape. Officers later arrested the driver and charged him with animal abuse and criminal mischief, and say they recovered multiple firearms and what they described as a large quantity of drugs from the car and a passenger.
Aguilar said he buried Kimbo in what he described as the dog’s favorite spot in the yard. “I had no words,” he repeated, adding that he hopes the driver eventually understands the damage he caused. “Whatever he’s dealing with, I just hope he finds peace within himself and just regrets what he did,” Aguilar told Local 12.
Charges and state law
Hillsboro police say the driver faces animal-abuse and criminal-mischief charges while investigators continue their review. Under Oregon law, animal abuse can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the conduct. Animal abuse in the second degree is a Class B misdemeanor under ORS 167.315, as published by Justia. Criminal mischief statutes set out degrees and penalties in ORS chapter 164, which is available through Oregon Public Law. Prosecutors will decide which specific charges to pursue as evidence, including the recovered weapons and suspected narcotics, is forwarded for review.
What comes next
The driver remains in custody while prosecutors review the case and the investigation into the initial road-rage threat continues. Neighbors and Aguilar said the episode left them shaken. Aguilar told reporters he forgives the man but hopes the driver takes a hard look at what happened and why a split-second decision ended with a smashed fence and a family mourning their dog.
