MITCHELL, S.D. — A Mitchell man who apparently duct-taped a dog’s legs and mouth and continued to punch it several times, triggering the dog’s death, is dealing with animal cruelty and drug ownership charges.
Aaron Hacecky, 25, of Mitchell, is dealing with one count of animal cruelty, a Class 6 felony that brings an optimal sentence of 2 years in jail and a $4,000 fine; ownership of an illegal drug (cannabis wax), a Class 5 felony that brings an optimal sentence of 5 years in jail and a $10,000 fine; and utilize or ownership of drug stuff, a misdemeanor offense.
According to an arrest affidavit, officers reacted to a problem that declared Hacecky was beating his sweetheart’s dog on July 30 at his Mitchell residence. Upon reaching the scene, a law enforcement officer observed Hacecky “punching a black lab in the head several times” with a closed fist, the affidavit declares.
After handcuffing Hacecky to stop him from beating the dog, the officer observed duct tape attached around the dog’s legs and mouth, according to the authorities report.
When officers handled to get rid of the tape from the dog’s legs and mouth, they observed the dog was “struggling to breathe” and “would not drink water,” the affidavit explained.
The dog was carried to a regional veterinary center for emergency situation care, the authorities report says, however passed away quickly after.
According to the affidavit, Hacecky informed officers the dog attempted to escape from the home previously that early morning and bit him as he tried to take the dog outside.
Officers weren’t able to determine any “visible puncture wounds” and observed “no readily bleeding cuts or scrapes” on Hacecky, the report said. The dog revealed no indications of hostility towards the officers who reacted to the problem.
Following the event, officers carried out a well-being examine Hacecky’s residence to examine another dog in the home. During the well-being check, officers found “several items of marijuana and drug related paraphernalia,” consisting of cannabis wax, which is noted as an illegal drug. The wax led to an extra felony charge.
Hacecky remains in custody at the Davison County prison on a $4,000 money bond, according to the Sheriff’s Office. He’s scheduled to appear in court for an arraignment hearing on Aug. 15.
Sam Fosness signed up with the Mitchell Republic in May 2018. He was raised in Mitchell, S.D., and finished from Mitchell High School. He continued his education at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, where he finished in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a small in English. During his time in college, Fosness worked as a news and sports press reporter for The Volante paper.
