City man accused of throwing dog out of car window

WOONSOCKET – A 48-year-old man was charged with felony domestic assault and unnecessary cruelty to animals Sunday after he punched his girlfriend and threw her dog out the window of a parked car, police said.

Dennis Colon, 48, of 56 Crawford St. allegedly became violent because he was upset that the 45-year-old victim was unable to repay him some money she’d borrowed from him.

Police reports say the victim told police she was punched by Colon outside her vehicle, in front of their apartment, after the two had taken a trip to the bank. She was supposed to withdraw money that she owed Colon but she was unable to do so.

Shortly before 6 p.m., Colon allegedly struck the woman with a closed fist on top of the head, causing a small laceration. Then he threw the woman’s pet dog from the window of the vehicle.

“The dog did have a noticeable limp to its left front paw,” Patrolman Christopher Waite’s report said.

Colon had an alternative explanation for the cause of the injuries to his girlfriend and the dog. He said the woman fell inside the house and she injured the dog herself when she threw the animal into the vehicle.

Colon never mentioned anything about money, but he did tell police the two had some type of confrontation about her ability to drive safely. He told police they’d been drinking and he didn’t think his girlfriend was in any condition to drive.

Colon and the victim have been dating for two years and living together since January,