Charges filed in puppy beating

The district attorney’s office Tuesday filed felony animal cruelty charges against a Los Angeles County fire official in connection with the Nov. 3 beating of a neighbor’s puppy.

Assistant Fire Chief Glynn Johnson was arrested by sheriff’s deputies on the same day he was charged. If convicted, he could face up to four years in state prison.

He is alleged to have beaten the puppy, a 6-month-old shepherd mix, with his fist and a 12-pound rock after she ran across his Riverside yard. The dog had to be euthanized because of the severity of her injuries, prosecutors said.

An arraignment for Johnson, who told investigators he had acted in self-defense, has not yet been scheduled, officials said.

-- Jean Merl