Oak Hill woman charged with Animal Cruelty after throwing a cat into the river.

Written by Kristen Schmutz

Belden Communications News

The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office reported that an Oak Hill woman was placed under arrest on animal cruelty charges after being accused of throwing a cat into the Intracoastal Waterway following a domestic dispute.

Stanley, the cat, was rescued from the river while still in his crate and is alive and well.

Deputies responded to a call just before 7 p.m. Thursday to the Riverwood Park Campground off Burch Road in Oak Hill. Upon arrival, deputies learned that Christa Anne Thistle, 53, and her long-term boyfriend had recently broken up and had an altercation about him not moving out fast enough.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, Thistle began moving her ex-boyfriend’s belongings out of the RV, knocking over food on the stove, before picking up Stanley’s cat carrier and throwing him and the crate into the river.

The ex-boyfriend jumped into the river to save Stanley and estimated the cat was in the water for twenty seconds.

Stanley was still wet and shivering, and the boyfriend was wet from the waist down - consistent with jumping in the river to save him - when deputies arrived.

Even though Thistle denied the allegations, she is being charged additionally with simple assault after demanding to be taken to jail so she could make a phone call, bond out, and kill her ex-boyfriend. She was transported to Volusia County Branch Jail and is still in custody with no bond pending her first appearance.

Volusia County Animal Services took custody of Stanley for a follow-up evaluation and care.