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Hawthorne Man Accused Of Crushing Wife's Chihuahua Pleads To Animal Cruelty

LOS ANGELES (CBS/AP) — A Los Angeles man who was caught on video running over his estranged wife's Chihuahua has pleaded no contest to animal cruelty.

Prosecutors say Michael Parker entered the plea Friday and faces 16 months in prison under the plea deal.

Authorities say Parker took the 5 ½-year-old dog, named Cow Cow, to a Hawthorne alley last Dec. 28

Surveillance video reportedly shows Parker opening his trunk and closing it before reentering his vehicle.

"Moments later Cow Cow appears from the side of the vehicle and runs out in front of it. Parker backs his vehicle up, and then appears to accelerate rapidly, steering directly toward the dog. Cow Cow is run completely over," investigators said in a statement.

A nearby resident found the dog and put its body in a bag.

Police say they tracked down the car from the surveillance video and Parker was arrested a few days later.

Parker was booked at the Hawthorne Police Department before he posted bond.

(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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