A Van Nuys man was arrested for animal cruelty Wednesday after he was seen catching pond turtles and allegedly “slamming” one of the reptiles against the concrete sidewalk. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by LASD Santa Clarita Valley (@scvsheriff)

At approximately 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies were dispatched to the Patios at the Valencia Town Center regarding reports of a male adult seen harming a turtle at the outdoor koi pond, according to Deputy Mariela Picard, spokesperson for the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station. 

“Security camera footage captured the suspect stealing a live turtle from a pond located on the property. The suspect was also seen slamming the turtle onto the sidewalk several times,” Picard said.

Adam Buckley, 34, a transient from Van Nuys, was arrested for animal cruelty, petty theft, and resisting arrest and booked at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station.

“We want to thank Valencia Town Center security for their quick response and assistance in identifying the suspect,” Picard said.

The injured turtle was recovered and received veterinary care.

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.