A man threw a small dog off an I-20 East exit ramp in DeKalb County on Wednesday afternoon and the dog later died as a result of its injuries, police said.

Several witnesses on the scene observed the man, identified as 48-year-old Michael Copeland pick up the dog and toss it on the highway near Wesley Chapel Road, DeKalb police spokeswoman Shiera Campbell said in a statement.

He was taken into custody on the scene on a charge of animal cruelty and is being held in the DeKalb County Jail, according to police.

The investigation is ongoing.

We are working to learn more.

In other news:

A stranger found the child

About the Author

Keep Reading

The closures will affect lanes on a busy stretch of 10th Street in Midtown. (File/AJC)

Featured

A rendering of the columbarium memorial that is estimated to be completed by next summer or fall in the southeast part of Oakland Cemetery, officials said. (Courtesy of Historic Oakland Foundation)

Credit: Historic Oakland Foundation