Man Choked, Tried to Drown Cat: Police

Police arrested a man they say tried to drown a cat in the Naugatuck River in Waterbury on Thursday morning.

Someone who heard a small animal crying from the bridge area of South Main and South Leonard streets called police just after 11 a.m. and officers responded.

Police said Brian J. Casson was standing on the bridge over the river appeared to be choking a small cat, then threw the animal into the water and tossed big pieces of asphalt at it.

Then, the 38-year-old got into the river and pulled the cat underwater from a string around its neck, police said.

After attempting to drown the animal, he ran up the embankment and got into a blue two-door Mitsubishi or Mazda with a broken front windshield, police said.

He fled when witnesses confronted him, but one witness continued to follow for a short distance.

When the man who attacked the cat stopped on St. Jean Street, he got out of his car with a hammer, police said. After the confrontation, he got back into his car and left.

Police officers were able to find the cat in the water under the bridge and brought the animal to Mattatuck Animal Hospital.

Police were able to arrest Casson after he fled.

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