A Castaic man charged with two counts of animal cruelty after allegedly exhibiting “bizarre” behavior in June missed his court date and has a bench warrant out for his arrest, according to a county prosecutor.
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“He bench-warranted — he didn’t show up (Wednesday),” said Ani Bailey, deputy district attorney with the county’s District Attorney’s Office.
When a defendant misses a court date, a bench warrant is put out for his or her arrest, and in Foster’s case, the warrant was for $60,000.
Deputies initially responded to Foster’s home on the 32000 block of North Ridge Top Lane on June 19, after Foster’s brother called the Sheriff’s Station and found a dead animal in the backyard, and Foster acting irrationally and aggressively.
Fearing for his safety, the brother left the home and called deputies.
When deputies arrived, they discovered a dead dog in the backyard that had been set on fire, according to Sheriff’s Station officials.
The deputies were able to talk the suspect into coming out of the house and giving up without incident.
During their subsequent investigation, Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies found a cat in the house that had been killed with some type of sharp object, according to a statement from the Sheriff’s Department.
Shortly thereafter, deputies discovered that the suspect had made a spear out of broomstick and a large kitchen knife, by taping the two together.
Deputies believed he used the spear and possibly an arrow to kill the cat and apparently the dog, as well, and that he set the animals on fire.
The suspect lived at the home with his parents and his adult brother. However, the suspect’s parents were out of town during this incident.
After the deputies’ investigation, Foster then was arrested and booked at Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station on animal cruelty charges.
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