EVERETT — A Lynnwood man who clobbered a dog with a golf club has been sentenced to six months in jail for the attack.
Questa, a small German shepherd, suffered trauma to her left eye, and the beating left her blind, Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Lisa Paul wrote in court papers.
Tyler Young admitted in May that he caused Questa’s injuries. He pleaded guilty to first-degree animal cruelty, a felony. At the same hearing he also pleaded guilty to two counts of failure to register as a sex offender. Young was 16 when he was convicted of second-degree rape.
Young, 28, recently was sentenced to about two years in prison for failing to register his address with the sheriff’s office, as required for convicted sex offenders. A judge agreed that Young could serve his sentence for the dog beating concurrently with his prison time for the registration violations.
He faced up to a year in jail for attacking Questa. Paul called the dog assault “awful” but acknowledged that the defendant quickly took responsibility for his actions.
Everett police received multiple 911 calls Feb. 29 from people near Everett and Harrison avenues.
The dog’s owner told officers that she was getting into her car, and Questa followed her out to the street. Young and his father were arguing on the other side of the intersection.
The dog ran across the street, stood at the back of the men’s car and barked, court papers said.
Young got out of the car with a club and went toward the dog. The dog’s owner yelled for the men to leave Questa alone, but Young chased after the dog and bludgeoned her.
Another witness reported seeing Young swing the club, knocking the dog to the ground. She said a second blow left the dog unconscious. She told police she heard the defendant’s dad yell, “Get that dog. Get that dog,” Paul wrote.
The woman told police the dog wasn’t aggressive toward the men. Questa was cowering and backing up as the men ran at her. Another witness told police the dog was running back home when Young chased her into the street and hit her with a golf club.
The dog didn’t try to bite anyone, police were told.
A veterinarian reported that Questa’s wounds were caused by multiple blows.
At the time of the incident, Young was under the supervision of the State Department of Corrections and had a warrant for his arrest.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; hefley@heraldnet.com.
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