Florida man accused of beating employer's dog to death

SARASOTA, Fla. – A southwest Florida man has been charged with breaking into his employer's business and beating a dog to death.

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office reports that the owner of John's Automotive reported his 4-year-old mastiff missing Sunday morning. After reviewing surveillance video later that day, he told deputies he saw 52-year-old Kevin Koscielniak kill his dog.

The business owner said Koscielniak had been asked to leave Saturday after causing a disturbance. Investigators determined that Koscielniak climbed over a barbed wire fence, killed the dog with a tire iron, wrapped the dog in a blanket, cut the fence to an adjacent business, dragged the dog onto that property and buried it there.

Koscielniak was arrested in Manatee County and charged with several counts, including cruelty to animals resulting in death. He was being held on $7,620 bail.