Anaheim Woman Faces Federal Charges After Allegedly Running Over Puppy

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A 75-year-old Anaheim woman previously charged in state court for intentionally killing her puppy now faces a federal animal crushing charge under the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act.

Hanh Minh Nguyen was indicted by federal authorities on October 29, 2026, facing up to seven years in federal prison if convicted.

Sydney Barragan reported on the updated legal proceedings for the Southern California News Group on October 30, 2026.

The charges stem from an incident on September 8, 2026, involving Blackey, Nguyen’s 9-month-old black-and-white pit bull mix.

Surveillance footage obtained by investigators depicts Nguyen letting the puppy out of her Honda Odyssey minivan before dropping food near the driver-side door.

When the puppy approached, she drove forward, stopping the vehicle’s rear tire directly over the animal for approximately 15 seconds before driving away.

An autopsy revealed the puppy died from a crushed skull, surviving for several minutes following the impact.

Nguyen was arrested on October 1, 2026, by the Santa Ana Police Department and released on a $20,000 bond for state felony animal cruelty charges, which include an enhancement for using a vehicle as a weapon.

Orange County District Attorney’s Office spokesperson Kimberly Edds confirmed that the dual federal indictment under the dual-sovereignty doctrine will run concurrently without altering state prosecution plans. Nguyen is scheduled for arraignment in Orange County Superior Court on November 2, 2026.

My thoughts:

• Federal animal crushing statutes provide necessary legal mechanisms to prosecute extreme acts of domestic pet violence.
• Video surveillance footage serves as crucial, objective evidence for state and federal law enforcement agencies.
• The dual-sovereignty doctrine permits separate state and federal charges without breaching constitutional double-jeopardy protections.
• Using motor vehicles to intentionally crush pets warrants felony-level deadly weapon enhancements.
• Forensic veterinary autopsies establish clear physical cause of death required for severe cruelty prosecutions.
• Expanded animal welfare laws like PACT ensure federal resources can assist local authorities in egregious cruelty cases.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Santa Ana Police Department, and Orange County District Attorney’s Office (Kimberly Edds)