Man allegedly strangles cat to death during domestic violence incident

SOUTH JORDAN, Utah (ABC4) — A man is facing charges after a domestic violence incident that included him allegedly strangling a cat to death.

Dean Andrew Derhak, 55, was arrested Friday for the offenses of aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury, a second-degree felony; aggravated cruelty to animals intentionally or knowingly, a class A misdemeanor; fail to stop at command of law enforcement, a class A misdemeanor; and interference with arresting officer, a class B misdemeanor, the South Jordan Police Department said.

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SJPD arrived to Milford Dr. in South Jordan on reports of a domestic violence incident. As officers walked up to the residence, the suspect, Derhak, was walking out. Officers called out to him but he began to ran, according to the affidavit.

Officers said they caught up to him, “[took] him to the ground,” and placed him under arrest.

Officers then went back to the residence and talked with the victim, who told them that Derhak went downstairs to take a nap, which left the victim with a “weird feeling,” the affidavit states. She reportedly told officers she went downstairs to check on him but found him on the bed, strangling the cat. She ran over and discovered the Derhak had killed the cat, the affidavit states.

Derhak then turned to the victim and began beating her up, police said. The victim eventually got away and locked herself in a bathroom, but reportedly suffered a black eye, abrasion above her eye, a broken rib, bruising on her ribs, and a contusion on her left chest wall.

Derhak was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on the previously mentioned charges.

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