Warrant Issued for Man Charged with Beating Neighbor's Dog with Rake

An arrest warrant has been issued for a Mission Viejo man—charged with attacking a neighbor's dog—who failed to show up for court, according to court records.

Michael Stuart Patterson, 51, was supposed to show up in court Tuesday but failed to appear, so he was given a second chance to come to court Thursday or an arrest warrant would be issued, according to Farrah Emami of the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

Patterson pleaded not guilty Nov. 18 to charges of first-degree residential burglary and animal cruelty, both felonies.

Patterson is accused of kicking open the front door of his neighbor's home Nov. 16 when he wasn't there, found the dog, named Honey, and attacked her with a yard rake on the back patio, Emami said.

Patterson was apparently angry that Honey would bark frequently when her owner wasn't home, Emami said.

Honey suffered puncture wounds on her face and lost an eye, Emami said.

Another neighbor who heard the commotion wrote down the license plate number of the alleged attacker and called the sheriff's department, Emami said.

Patterson posted $50,000 bail Dec. 30. He could face up to six years and eight months in prison if convicted.

—City News Service