Florida man accused of drowning raccoon

TAVARES, Fla. (WKMG) A Central Florida man was arrested on suspicion of caging and drowning a raccoon because the animal killed some of his chickens and damaged his home.

James Miller, of Tavares, was arrested Friday on animal cruelty charges.

According to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, a woman called authorities and said her neighbor took a caged raccoon onto his pontoon boat and dropped the cage into the water.

The woman said she told her neighbor that drowning an animal was inhumane and he should instead call animal services, according to deputies.

Miller replied, “The raccoon was in my house,” and left the cage in the water for several minutes, killing the raccoon, deputies said.

Authorities questioned Miller’s wife, who said the raccoon had killed some of her chickens and later got into their house, according to deputies.

Miller was later arrested and taken into custody.