Acushnet man accused of animal cruelty

Dartmouth, Mass. (WPRI) - The man accused of purposely running over a mother duck is now facing an animal cruelty charge in Massachusetts. Prosecutors say 25-year-old Joshua Linhares of Acushnet intentionally drove his car into a mother duck who was walking through the Dartmouth Mall parking lot last month with her twelve duckings.

The mother duck was killed in the incident. At the time of the accident witnesses said they saw Linhares smiling as he drove towards the duck and laughing after he hit her. None of the ducklings were injured and Animal Control was called in to take custody of them.

The animal cruelty charge, a felony in Massachusetts, was filed after police reviewed surveillance video from the mall. The twelve ducklings who survived are still being raised by Animal Control.