Woman charged with animal cruelty after puppy was thrown from vehicle pleads not guilty
MINNEAPOLIS -- Raylean Gurneau, who faces animal cruelty charges for her role in allegedly throwing a puppy out of a stolen car going 60 mph, has pleaded not guilty.
Ramsey County sheriff's deputies were pursing suspects in a stolen truck on Interstate 694 in Arden Hills in late January, when they noticed a small white puppy being tossed from the car's back passenger door.
Two armed suspects fled the truck after deputies performed a PIT maneuver, but the other two - including Gurneau - were arrested at the scene.
Charges say Gurneau called 911 and reported a fake carjacking to "divert law enforcement resources" and was showing signs of an overdose when she was arrested. She was given Narcan and taken to the hospital.
In all, she faces six counts against her, including fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle, animal cruelty, and making a fake emergency call.
The dog, named Taho, initially survived, but was euthanized in mid-April.
In April, FBI agents shot and killed Chue Feng Yang, who was wanted for the January carjacking and police chase. He barricaded himself inside a home in north Minneapolis and emerged seven hours later with a hostage tied to his torso and shotgun pointed to her head. An FBI agent then shot Yang.