Two kittens were run over by an intoxicated man driving a truck in a case of animal cruelty, police said.
But Francis McGinley said he was trying to save a pair of kittens rather than kill them.
Chester Police officers responded to a call for a suspicious condition at a Delaware County boarding house Sunday.
They were met by three visibly distraught women. They claimed that their roommate, McGinley, had drunkenly arrived home with two injured kittens.
When one of the women asked what he was doing with the cats, they claim that McGinley responded by saying “I ran them over with my truck so I could eat them for dinner.”
When the women questioned him further, he allegedly said “I ran these two cats over with my truck and now they’re my dinner. I’m going to eat them.”
The kittens, named Karma and Nirvana, were taken by Animal Control Officer Dave Schlott to the Keystone Veterinary Emergency where they were being cared for. They are expected to make a full recovery.
Officers said once they confronted him a clearly intoxicated McGinley asked, “Since when was it a crime to get drunk officer?”
McGinley, 44, told NBC Philadelphia's Doug Shimell Tuesday that he had no plans to eat the kittens but rather feed them after someone else ran them over. He claimed he has no truck, doesn't drive and wasn't drunk driving.
"I love animals and I would never, ever hurt animals," McGinley said.
McGinley was arrested despite his denials.
He was arraigned on charges of cruelty to animals, public drunkenness, recklessly endangering another person, disorderly conduct and harassment, according to the Delco County Times.
McGinley has a long record of arrests including being arrested multiple times for public drunkenness, being “manifestly under the influence of alcohol,” driving under the influence, disorderly conduct and harassment, according to court records.
He was released from custody after posting 10 percent of $20,000 bail. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on October 27.
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