Oxford Man Caught On Camera Running Over and Killing Cat Charged With Aggravated Animal Cruelty
UPDATE - August 15, 2018
According to Costello's owner, Jeanie Crandall, Chenango County Sheriff's Office arrested Matt Franklin, the suspect caught on camera running over and killing the cat. Franklin was taken into custody and charged with aggravated animal cruelty Wednesday, and released on an appearance ticket.
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A family in Oxford is seeking justice after a driver runs over their family cat in their driveway.
The incident caught on security camera shows a pickup truck enter the Crandall's family driveway where their cat Costello was napping. The truck pulls in front of the cat, stops, then reverses before driving forward again running Costello over.
After being run over, Costello attempts to run before falling and rolling to the front of the yard, where he comes to a stop and is presumed dead.
"We truly believe a crime was committed and that he should be charged with something under penal law as well because if you watch the video you can see where there’s no reason that he did not see my cat I really urge people that before you form an opinion or any form of judgment that just watch the video," said Jeanie Crandall, Costello's owner.
The driver of the pickup truck, Matthew S. Franklin, 34, of Oxford, works on a property behind the family's home.
"There is a right-of-way to our driveway to a back property," said Crandall. "So, he had a right to be in the driveway. I just don’t understand why my cat was run over. It was 100% preventable."
Crandall says that Franklin did not make any attempts to move the cat.
"If you watch the video, you can see he did not get out of the vehicle. He did not roll down his window to yell at the cat. When speaking with him myself and also with the village officer, he relayed to us that he never once said he beeped his horn. If he had beeped his horn I know Costello would have moved," said Crandall.
"The next day he came through the driveway I asked him if he was the person who had run over and killed her cat he pretty much attitude was 'yes I am I’m sorry but accidents happen.' Further, into the conversation he says 'what do you want me to do lady? do you wanna just give you another cat'," said Crandall
Franklin was charged with leaving the scene of an injured animal without reporting the incident, a class A misdemeanor. However, Crandall says he deserves stronger consequences.
"It’s only under traffic laws pretty much a fine and it’s on his license for 18 months," said Crandall. "I honestly feel that this is not just a traffic violation, that this is actually a crime."
The Crandall family has started a petition, Justice For Costello, demanding further legal action be done. So far, it has close to 2,000 signatures. She hopes that Franklin gets charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, under Agriculture Agriculture and Markets Law 353.
Fox 40 reached out to Matt Franklin for comment but he has not yet responded.