Spokane couple arrested after puppy thrown from vehicle

An apparent bad breakup turned terrible Wednesday when the boyfriend decided to throw his girlfriend’s 11-week-old puppy out the window of a moving vehicle, according to Spokane police.

A neighbor rushed out, gathered up the young dog, which somehow escaped injury, Officer Daniel Strassenberg said. “It’s probably one of the more bizarre things I’ve seen.”

The incident started at about 12:40 p.m. Wednesday when neighbors in the 5000 block of North Wall Street called 911 to report a disturbance that involved a woman in the backseat of a pickup who was screaming.

“The female was overheard yelling that a puppy had been thrown out of the truck while moving,” Strassenberg said.

A short time later, a neighbor called 911 to report that he had found the puppy. “Thankfully, the neighbor found it and hung onto it until we got there,” Strassenberg said.

The young dog did not display any injuries, “which is an amazing story within itself,” he said.

Officers located the man driving the truck and interviewed the woman.

“Due to all that happened, she was transported to a local hospital after the incident,” Strassenberg said.

Officers charged Daniel Kolle, 44, with second-degree animal cruelty, a misdemeanor, as part of an alleged domestic violence situation.

Officers were also compelled to charge the woman, Melissa Pagel, 46, with fourth-degree assault against Kolle. Pagel’s charge is also a misdemeanor.

“They had their altercation in the back of the truck,” Strassenberg said.

The officer said he was not sure whether the alleged assault that prompted charges against Pagel occurred before or after the puppy was thrown from the window.

The puppy, however, eventually was returned to Pagel.