Playing in a shallow pond with Mom turned deadly for some unfortunate Florida ducklings
Watching ducklings play in a pond is cute, but for an unsuspecting child it was traumatizing.
At about 7:55 p.m. Saturday, James Clairmont was seen by several witnesses driving his white Ford truck inside a mobile home park in Largo, according to a city police report.
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At the same time, 11 ducklings were playing in a shallow puddle in the middle of the road with a mother duck.
A child and another witness saw Clairmont slow down for a speed bump, then quickly accelerate toward the ducklings. The pair screamed at Clairmont to stop before hitting the ducks, but he still ran over three of them, police said.
After, he drove off to a mobile home a street away.
Two of the ducklings died and the third was sent a local animal hospital for broken bones.
Officers said Clairmont denied that ducklings were in the road and he was unable to explain why there was blood and duck feathers on one of his truck tires. Officers also said that Clairmont appeared highly intoxicated.
He was arrested and charged with aggravated animal cruelty. He was released Sunday.
This story was originally published August 14, 2019 at 12:41 PM.
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