A tipster spotted a trunk just below the waterline at the Hood Landing public kayak launch and called it in. Jacksonville Sheriff's Office divers checked the vehicle and found no person trapped inside. A dead dog was found inside, and a man was arrested.
According to News4JAX, a man was arrested after a dead dog was found inside the submerged vehicle. The case began on October 10, when an anonymous tipster reported seeing a car trunk visible just beneath the water at the end of the boat ramp, per the arrest report cited by the station.
Dive Team Checks Submerged Car
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office dive team checked the reported vehicle and found no person trapped inside.
A towing crew worked to pull the car free. The crew broke the rear driver's side window in order to secure the vehicle for removal. Inside, a brown pit mix was found dead, and Jacksonville's Animal Care and Protective Services responded to recover the dog after photographing the scene.
Evidence Inside the Car Tied Back to Barker
Officers said they found dog leashes, toys, treats, and a chain matching the one still around the dead dog's neck inside the submerged vehicle, per the arrest report. That evidence helped investigators trace the car back to the man. An officer told him the day after the car was discovered, on October 11, that he was under investigation.
Jacksonville's Animal Care and Protective Services maintains a Field Services Division with dedicated Specialty Investigators who handle formal cruelty cases, collect evidence, and prepare them for court, according to Jacksonville.gov.
What Florida Law Requires for a Felony Charge
To elevate an animal cruelty case from a misdemeanor to a felony, Florida prosecutors must prove intentional acts or intentional failures to act that result in cruel death or excessive pain, rather than simple neglect, under Florida Statute Section 828.12. A conviction under that third-degree felony statute carries a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. If the conduct is found to involve knowing and intentional torture or torment, the law also mandates a minimum $2,500 fine and completion of psychological counseling or an anger management program.
Earlier this month, Middleburg man Cole Daughtry pleaded guilty to felony animal cruelty and faced the maximum possible sentence in Clay County.
Questions That Remain Unresolved
How the car ended up submerged at the Hood Landing launch remains unclear.
Jacksonville's Animal Care and Protective Services, which has a Field Services team that responds to thousands of calls each year, also partnered with First Coast Crime Stoppers to offer rewards of up to $3,000.
