Lake Worth Man Accused of Dragging Three Chihuahuas Behind Pickup Truck
LAKE WORTH, Fla. (CBS12) — A disturbing incident unfolded in Lake Worth when a man was accused of dragging three Chihuahuas behind his pickup truck, leaving the dogs visibly injured and in distress.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) responded to a report on Monday at 10:55 p.m. that three dogs were being dragged by a pickup truck in Lake Worth. Deputies met with a witness who had followed the truck for several hundred feet after seeing the dogs being towed behind it on Nancy Drive.
The witness, who loves animals, took action when he saw the dogs being dragged. He followed the truck, which was traveling at 15-20 miles per hour, while honking his horn in an attempt to stop the driver, later identified as 40-year-old Lorenzo Franco Alcocer. The witness provided deputies with a video showing the dogs tied to the trailer hitch and being dragged along the road. The footage captured one dog on its back, while the other two struggled to keep up.
When Alcocer finally pulled over at the intersection of Melaleuca Lane and Marks Way, a verbal argument ensued between him and the witness before Alcocer fled the scene with the dogs. The witness described the scene, saying, “The guy came out, took the dogs, didn’t say anything. He just stepped out of the car, took the dogs, took the leash, and put it inside. It was pretty sad.”
PBSO tracked down Alcocer using his license plate number. Upon arriving at his home, they found the three dogs in a cage outside, visibly injured and in distress. The dogs were whimpering in pain and licking their paws. Alcocer claimed he had tied the dogs to his truck to take them to relieve themselves but forgot they were still tied during the trip.
Alcocer has been accused of aggravated animal cruelty. The dogs, though scared and having rashes, were not believed to have life-threatening injuries before being handed over to Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control. CBS12 News attempted to obtain an update on the dogs’ status but had not received a response at the time of reporting.
