A woman has been arrested on suspicion of first-degree animal cruelty for allegedly throwing her boyfriend’s dog into traffic on Interstate 205 Thursday night, causing it to be struck and killed.
Shellie L. Hubbard, 45, of Portland made her first appearance Friday morning in Clark County Superior Court. Judge Rich Melnick set bail at $20,000 and appointed attorney Jeff Sowder to represent her.
Hubbard, who is also accused of second-degree assault domestic violence and possession of methamphetamine, will be arraigned Jan. 4.
State troopers said Hubbard got into an argument with her boyfriend, Darwin Vonschirmer, 45, while Vonschirmer was driving south on Interstate 205. As their car approached Padden Parkway, Hubbard allegedly struck him with a broken coffee mug, slicing his hand, said Washington State Patrol Trooper Ryan Tanner. The incident happened just after 7 p.m.
Tanner said Vonschirmer pulled the car over to the shoulder. As they continued arguing, Hubbard let the dog out of the car. When Vonschirmer tried to scoop up the dog, she allegedly threw the animal into traffic.
As the dog attempted to walk back to the freeway’s shoulder, it was struck by a car and died at the scene.
“This is a really sad case,” Tanner said. “We obviously try to defuse these situations. But the dog was hit before we got there.”
Vonschirmer told KATU-TV that he rescued the Catahoula leopard hound dog, named Peanut Butter, last year from the side of the freeway.
After the event, Hubbard ran off. With the help of Clark County sheriff’s deputies, state troopers apprehended her two hours later near Fourth Plain Boulevard, Tanner said.
“How she got to where she was, I have no idea,” he said.
She was allegedly found to be in possession of methamphetamine and a glass smoking pipe.
Meanwhile, Vonschirmer was treated at the scene for what troopers described as a substantial hand injury. He declined to be taken to the hospital.
Laura McVicker: www.twitter.com/col_courts; www.facebook.com/reportermcvicker; laura.mcvicker@columbian.com; 360-735-4516.
