Police said automated license plate reader technology helped detectives identify the vehicle connected to the death of a 9-month-old pit bull.
SANTA ANA, CA — A 75-year-old Anaheim woman was arrested Thursday on suspicion of animal cruelty and animal abandonment after Santa Ana police said surveillance video showed a woman intentionally running over a 9-month-old puppy in a residential neighborhood.
Hahn Nguyen was booked into the Santa Ana Jail following an investigation into the Sept. 8 death of a black-and-white male pit bull named Blackey, according to police. Authorities said Nguyen admitted owning and abandoning the puppy. The arrest came one day after police released surveillance footage and asked the public for help identifying the woman and vehicle involved. The allegations against Nguyen have not been proven in court.
Santa Ana Animal Services officers were called to the 900 block of West Park Lane on Sept. 8 after receiving a report of a dead puppy that appeared to have been struck by a vehicle. A nearby resident told investigators that a woman driving a minivan appeared to have intentionally run over the animal, according to police. Officers then canvassed the neighborhood for surveillance footage that could help determine what happened.
Investigators said they obtained video showing a woman arriving in an older Honda Odyssey at about 9:15 a.m. near 926 W. Park Lane. Police said the woman removed the puppy from the vehicle and placed food on the ground near the driver’s side. As the puppy approached the food, the woman returned to the minivan and drove forward, causing a rear tire to run over the animal, according to investigators. The vehicle remained stopped for about 15 seconds before leaving the area, police said. The puppy died from his injuries.
Police publicly released the surveillance footage Wednesday while seeking help identifying the driver. Although investigators could not clearly read the vehicle’s license plate from the recording, detectives used automated license plate reader technology and other investigative leads to identify the Honda Odyssey, authorities said. The investigation connected the vehicle to addresses in Anaheim and Fountain Valley.
Detectives went to an Anaheim residence Thursday morning, where they located Nguyen and found the Honda Odyssey inside the garage, police said. Investigators said Nguyen acknowledged that Blackey belonged to her and admitted abandoning the puppy. Police did not say that she admitted intentionally running over the dog.
Santa Ana Police Department spokesperson Natalie Garcia told the Los Angeles Times that Nguyen said she had intended to leave Blackey at a park because the puppy had been bothering her boyfriend by biting his shoes and other belongings. Garcia said Nguyen had told her boyfriend she believed the dog had been run over but did not admit to intentionally striking the puppy herself.
Nguyen was booked on suspicion of violating California laws covering animal cruelty and animal abandonment. An arrest and booking do not establish guilt, and prosecutors make the final decision on what criminal charges, if any, will be filed. The Orange County district attorney’s office was being presented with the case for filing consideration, according to the Los Angeles Times.
California’s animal cruelty law can be prosecuted as either a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the circumstances and the charging decision. Because prosecutors had not announced a filing decision in the case as of Thursday, the precise charges and potential penalties Nguyen could ultimately face remained unsettled.
The investigation moved quickly after police made the surveillance footage public. Authorities credited investigative leads and automated license plate reader technology with helping detectives identify the vehicle and locate the suspect. Police said the technology allowed investigators to connect the minivan seen in the footage with Nguyen before officers found the vehicle at the Anaheim residence.
As of Thursday, Nguyen had been arrested and booked, but available reports did not identify an attorney representing her or document a court plea. The district attorney’s filing decision remained the next major step in the case.
Author note: Last updated Oct. 2, 2026.