DECATUR, Texas — Who would throw a puppy out of a moving vehicle?
That's the question the Wise County sheriff is asking Wednesday.
"Who could imagine a guy would throw a helpless little 3-month-old puppy out the window?" asked Sheriff Lane Akin.
On Tuesday night, deputies spotted a speeding truck just south of Newark on FM 718.
"They turned on the lights, turned on the sirens, and he sped off, he fled," Akin said.
The truck's license plates didn't match the vehicle, officials said.
When the driver crossed into Tarrant County, turning south onto FM 156, deputies watched in shock as the driver threw the 3-month-old lab mix out of the driver's side window onto the road.
"We've got to wonder why in the world would a person throw a dog out during a pursuit," he said.
The driver ditched the truck and fled. He has not been caught, officials said.
Deputies found about 4 grams of methamphetamine in the truck.
"That gives us a little clue as to the mindset of the guy who would throw a dog out of a window," the sheriff said. "It's just unbelievable."
He said it's common that crimes in Wise County are connected to meth. About 85 percent of Wise County inmates are in jail directly or indirectly because of meth.
As for the puppy?
"Seems to be doing good," said one of the animal shelter technicians. "Running around, playing, seems happy, following us around."
The puppy will remain at the Wise county Animal Shelter until they figure out who he belongs to.
The sheriff says the suspect could face charges of evading arrest, fleeing with a vehicle, possession of methamphetamine and animal cruelty.