BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – A man is facing multiple felony charges, including animal cruelty, after tribal police said he grabbed a small dog by its paws and neck and threatened to throw it off a parking garage at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, then threw it into a set of bushes.
According to court documents obtained on Tuesday, Seminole police encountered Nicholas Michael-Jamaal Depass, 26, of Sunrise, on the third floor of the Seminole Way garage after being called there for a “possible fight” and a man threatening to throw a dog off a ledge early Friday morning.
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Police said they saw Depass standing on the ledge with the dog, but claimed he had “no intention” of hurting it.
Surveillance video later showed Depass holding the dog by its front paws and neck, according to an arrest report.
A security officer trespassed Depass, but police said he went to the fourth floor “and was again told to leave.”
Rather than leave, Depass “threw the dog into the bushes” and walked towards a valet, police said.
The report doesn’t state whether Depass threw the dog off the parking garage or while at ground level; it also doesn’t state whether the dog was seriously hurt or killed.
It states that the officer who witnessed Depass throw the dog moved to arrest him.
Police said Depass resisted arrest and grabbed the officer’s Taser and backup officers had to help subdue and handcuff him.
The arrest report states that a search of Depass’ backpack revealed a stolen Glock pistol, a marijuana grinder, plus a scale and tray.
Authorities arrested him on felony charges of animal cruelty causing death or pain, grand theft of a firearm and resisting arrest with violence.
He also faces four misdemeanor drug and trespassing charges.
He was being held in the Broward Main Jail on a bond of more than $64,000 as of Tuesday afternoon, according to jail records.