Oct 12, 20222 min read

WAYNE GILBERT LASSITER pleaded guilty to fatally hitting a dog while driving under the influence

- North Carolina, USA -

On October 11, 2022, 55-years-old WAYNE GILBERT LASSITER pleaded guilty to driving while impaired and felony cruelty to animals.

On June 1, 2021, LASSITER veered off U.S. 70 West between Pleasant Gardens and Greenlee in McDowell County, drove across Mr. William Owensby’s driveway and hit and killed Mr. Owensby’s dog, a 3-year-old Shih-Tzu named Polly.

The incident happened at 5:41 a.m.

At the time of the incident, Mr. Owensby told WLOS that U.S. 70 is quiet on early mornings when he takes his dogs Polly and Jack out to go to the bathroom.

In a matter of moments, LASSITER ran off the road, across Mr. Owensby’s driveway, fatally hit Polly, hit a mailbox, and ended up in a stream.

Mr. Owensby said: “She died right there with me.” He then added: “He took something away from us. He needs to be held accountable for that.”

LASSITER was charged with driving while impaired and careless and reckless driving.

McDowell District Attorney Ted Bell added a charge of felony cruelty to animals.

WLOS reports that although cruelty to animal charges traditionally result in a misdemeanor, DA Bell explained that LASSITER’s prior DWI helped the prosecution upgrade to a felony and said: “When looking at that, we basically argued that prior DWI showed malice for the felony cruelty to animals just as it would for second-degree murder if it had been a person that were killed.”

DA Bell told WLOS: “The judge sentenced him to 1.6-2.27 years (20 to 33 months) on the cruelty to animals charge and 1 year (12 months) on the DWI.”