Man Charged With Dragging Stolen Dog to Death at Colorado National Monument

FRUITA, Colo. —  National Park Service rangers on Thursday arrested a Grand Junction man accused of dragging a dog to its death in Colorado National Monument.

Federal prosecutors charged Steven Clay Romero, 37, with animal cruelty , a felony.

His arrest came a day after a German Shepherd-Blue Heeler mix was found with a rope around its neck along Rim Rock Drive, the main road through the park in western Colorado.

Rangers said the dog, named Buddy, was stolen by others from downtown Delta on Tuesday. The dog was tied to a pickup truck and dragged for about 2 miles up the steep and winding road, rangers said.  Click here for more.