Minneapolis woman faces animal cruelty charges months after puppy was thrown from vehicle on I-694
MINNEAPOLIS -- A 26-year-old Minneapolis woman faces serious charges - including animal cruelty - several months after a puppy was thrown from a stolen vehicle going over 60 miles an hour during a pursuit.
On Monday, the Ramsey County Attorney's Office announced Raylean Gurneau is charged with animal cruelty and fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle - both felonies. She also faces several gross misdemeanor charges of animal mistreatment and another for placing a fictitious emergency 911 call.
RELATED: Dog survives being tossed from car during wrong-way chase in north metro
In late January, Ramsey County sheriff's deputies were pursuing suspects in a stolen truck on Interstate 694 in Arden Hills when they noticed a small, white puppy being tossed from the vehicle's back passenger door.
After deputies performed a PIT maneuver and disabled the stolen truck, two armed suspects fled on foot and carjacked separate vehicles, officials said. They then fled the scene. Two other occupants of the stolen truck, including Gurneau, were arrested.
Deputies later went back and searched for the puppy, but found nothing as nighttime temperatures dropped to negative 8 degrees. The next day, the puppy was found in a snowbank.
Deputies quickly named the pit bull Tahoe because of the Chevy Tahoes they drive and took him to a vet where it was determined Tahoe had a broken leg and lacerations but would survive. Authorities say veterinarian costs have exceeded $15,000.
"Tahoe is being cared for by a dog rescue and rehabilitation organization as he recovers from physical and emotional abuse," the Ramsey County Attorney's Office said in a statement Monday.
More criminal complaint details
According to the criminal complaint, Gurneau allegedly called 911 during the chase and reported a fictitious carjacking "in an attempt to divert law enforcement resources."
Gurneau was taking narcotics inside the stolen vehicle during the pursuit and threw the puppy out of the vehicle, the complaint said. She denied throwing the dog out of the vehicle in a later interview, but said she did not remember what happened.
When taken into custody, deputies say she showed signed of an overdose. She was given multiple doses of Narcan and taken to Regions Hospital, the complaint said.
RELATED: Donovan Goodman charged in violent carjacking spree that involved dog being tossed onto interstate
The alleged driver of the stolen truck, 33-year-old Donovan Goodman of Bemidji, was arrested in Minneapolis nearly a month after the incident. He's since been charged in Ramsey County with aggravated robbery and several other felonies. He also faces federal charges of carjacking and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
If convicted, Gurneau could face several years in prison on the fleeing a peace officer charge. The animal cruelty felony chare has a maximum penalty of two years in prison.
Goodman's aggravated robbery charge has a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.