SAN JOSE, Calif., May 20 (UPI) -- A man accused of killing his wife's Chihuahua puppy faces the possibility of life in prison under California's Three Strikes Law, officials said.
Bud Ruiz of Gilroy, who has a long criminal record, was charged Wednesday with cruelty to animals and battery on a spouse, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office said. He is being held without bail and will have a plea hearing Tuesday.
The dog was killed while Ruiz argued with his wife, investigators said.
Ruiz told the San Jose Mercury News he was "wrongfully charged," and his wife, Marcella, defended him.
"He never hurt me, he never hit me," she said.
Prosecutors say Ruiz threw the dog across a room during the argument May 12. Police responded to a domestic violence call and found the puppy dead and Ruiz gone. He surrendered Monday.
Ruiz said he is bipolar, has depression and "intermittent explosive anger issues" and cannot live with his wife because he is a registered sex offender forbidden to reside near schools or parks.
Authorities say Ruiz also has four separate convictions for assault with a deadly weapon. People who have two or more felonies can be prosecuted under the "three strikes" rule and face a minimum 25 years to life if convicted.
