Wayne Mullis

LIVE OAK — A Live Oak man’s temper led to his arrest on multiple charges after hurting a neighborhood dog and throwing items at a child.

According to the Live Oak Police Department, 56-year-old Wayne Mullis, who has an admitted anger management problem, got upset that children in the Horizon Circle neighborhood were messing with a horn on his tricycle around 2 p.m. Tuesday.

That led to the suspect throwing a 20-ounce plastic soda bottle at a minor, causing the soda to spill on the child, the report states.

The suspect, still upset, then grabbed a large broken piece of a cinder block and threw it near a group of children, the report states. He then picked up a cinder block and threw it into the rear basket on his tricycle.

According to the victims and witnesses, the suspect then headed back to his residence where he attacked their dog, Princess. The report states the suspect grabbed the dog — who was sleeping in front of his front door as he is known to give treats to animals in the area — and began choking it.

The suspect then threw the dog at the victim, causing dog hair to stick to the wet soda, the report states. The child was unable to catch the dog, who then fell onto the sidewalk and began walking with a limp.

According to the report, the suspect admitted to pouring Coke on the child as well as throwing the dog to the ground in anger.

The suspect, though, denied throwing a rock at the children, saying he he threw it into the tricycle basket, the report states.

The victims said the suspect usually allows them to use his tricycles as well as the horns and baskets that are attached.

Mullis, who apologized to the children and said he “loves all the neighborhood children and animals,” was charged with animal cruelty, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill and battery.