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What the Blackey Case Shows

• Prosecutors say Hanh Minh Nguyen used dog food to lure her puppy beneath a minivan before deliberately driving over him.
• Nguyen now faces two felony animal-cruelty-related counts and an enhancement alleging she used the vehicle as a weapon.
• Investigators say automated license plate reader technology helped identify the minivan and led police to Nguyen.

By Samuel López | USA Herald

A disturbing surveillance video showing a puppy being lured toward food and then run over has now become a felony criminal case in Orange County.

Hanh Minh Nguyen, 75, of Anaheim, was arrested Oct. 1 after Santa Ana police investigators traced a green Honda Odyssey captured in surveillance footage from a Sept. 8 incident. On Oct. 2, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced that Nguyen had been formally charged with one felony count of animal cruelty, one felony count of animal abuse by a caretaker, and an enhancement alleging personal use of a weapon — the minivan. She posted $20,000 bail and is scheduled to appear at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Nov. 2.

That distinction matters. An arrest tells the public what police initially suspected. A criminal complaint tells us what prosecutors are actually prepared to pursue in court.

According to prosecutors, Santa Ana Police Department Animal Services officers responded around 9:15 a.m. Sept. 8 to a report of a dead black-and-white male pit bull mix. Investigators found dog food near the animal. Surveillance footage from a nearby residence allegedly showed a woman removing the puppy from the minivan, placing him beneath the vehicle and putting food near the driver’s door. As the puppy approached, prosecutors allege, the driver slowly moved forward and the rear tire ran over the animal before the vehicle left.

The puppy was named Blackey.

There is one factual discrepancy readers should know about. Early police-based reporting described Blackey as approximately 9 months old, while the Orange County District Attorney’s Oct. 2 charging announcement calls him 9 weeks old. USA Herald is noting the conflict rather than treating either age as independently established.

Police said automated license plate reader technology ultimately helped investigators identify the Honda despite difficulties identifying it through the neighborhood video alone. Detectives traced the vehicle to Anaheim, where police said the minivan was located in Nguyen’s garage. Police previously said Nguyen acknowledged owning and abandoning Blackey.

California Penal Code Section 597 makes malicious and intentional killing or serious abuse of an animal punishable either as a felony or, alternatively, as a misdemeanor. That is why the offense is commonly described as a wobbler. The statute allows a fine of up to $20,000 in addition to potential incarceration. California separately makes willful abandonment of an animal a misdemeanor under Penal Code Section 597s.

Here, prosecutors have made their choice clear; the filed case is proceeding with felony allegations. Nguyen has not been convicted, and the allegations must still be proven in court.

The case also shows how ordinary residential surveillance and automated plate-reader systems can work together. A camera may capture the conduct without producing a readable plate, while a separate database of vehicle sightings can give detectives the missing investigative lead.

Anyone who witnesses animal abuse in progress or an animal facing immediate danger should call 911. Suspected cruelty that is not an immediate emergency should be reported to local law enforcement or the appropriate animal-control agency. Santa Ana police have asked anyone with information relevant to this investigation to contact investigators at 714-245-8378.

Animals cannot call police, preserve evidence or ask a court for protection. When abuse is witnessed, reporting it may be the only way an animal gets help.

About the Author

Samuel López is a reporter and news correspondent for USA Herald who has reported for the publication since 2022. López is also a seasoned legal professional with more than two decades of experience analyzing state and federal litigation and complex legal matters. His legal background informs his reporting on criminal cases by separating arrests, allegations, filed charges and convictions — distinctions that can fundamentally change what a case actually means.

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