PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (THECOUNT) — A Florida man is under arrest after being accused of leaving a pair of dogs in a hot vehicle while he went drinking at a Panama City Beach bar.
Jason Matthew Reece, 39, was originally arrested for disorderly conduct after a night of heavy drinking at a Panama City Beach bar. But now he is facing possible animal cruelty charges after it was discovered he left the family dogs in a hot vehicle for an extended period of time.
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Reece’s wife of called deputies to express concern about the animals, whom had traveled with Reece in a vehicle to an area saloon the previous day.
Deputies performed a search and located the dogs deceased in Reece’s Vehicle. Both dogs died in the vehicle as a result of extreme heat exhaustion.
Deputies say they originally responded to a call about an intoxicated Reece pulling on handles of area vehicles in Panama City Beach.
Court records indicate Reece did not inform arresting officers that the animals were locked in his vehicle. It is unknown, but likely the animals were still alive at the time of his arrest.
Now Reece faces charges of cruelty to animals as well, and is being held in the Bay County Jail on a $10,000 bond. No defense attorney is listed in court records. source