REDINGTON SHORES, Fla. — A Redington Beach man was arrested for driving through a group of protected birds while riding his electric scooter.
Indian Shores Police responded to a reckless driving call on the beach behind 17900 Gulf Boulevard in Redington Shores on July 19 at about 7:45 p.m. where a witness said the man drove through a group of Royal Terns.
The witness provided a picture and video of the suspect to police who were able to compare them to a picture of a dead bird found in the same location, according to Pinellas County court records.
He was identified as 37-year-old Vitaliy Kravchenko.
Several people called the police to help identify the subject after the media picked up the case and ran a story with the subject's face blurred asking for help identifying him, according to the witness affidavit.
One caller identified the man and his address. When police looked up the home, they noticed it was for sale and on the sales website were pictures inside the garage where the same scooter used in the accident was. Police said the scooter had the same unique stickers and markings.
Police and a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer located the dead bird's carcass at the beginning of August and brought it to a veterinarian who said its injuries were "consistent with a crushing type injury."
"It is evidence that the injuries sustained by the deceased bird were caused by the electric scooter running it over," the veterinarian said, according to court records. The doctor also said the bird would have experienced a "high degree of suffering" and died as a result.
The witness helped police identify the man as Kravchenko, and he is being charged with aggravated cruelty to animals. He posted a $10,000 bond and the charge is a third-degree felony with a maximum fine of $10,000 and up to five years in prison, according to state law.