A Nevada man accused of torturing a kitten to death in San Francisco is now on the run after failing to appear for a scheduled court date. William Ohlson, 33, of Reno, was due for his arraignment on Monday, but a San Francisco court has since issued an arrest warrant for him.
Police allege Ohlson brought a small kitten into an ATM vestibule on Market Street in early July, where he "violently tortured" the animal to death before leaving with its body. The investigation began after San Francisco Animal Care and Control alerted police to the alleged abuse. Detectives identified Ohlson as the suspect and located him at a hotel near the Civic Center.
When officers attempted to serve a search warrant on July 14, Ohlson fled and was pursued by police. The chase concluded on the roof of an adjacent building, and police drones were deployed during the search. Ohlson was taken into custody and booked into San Francisco County Jail on charges including animal abuse and resisting arrest. He was released the following day pending his court appearance.
Critics suggest that Ohlson's release, prior to his court date, may be linked to a California Supreme Court ruling that limits pretrial detention primarily to cases involving violence against people. This has reignited discussions about the state's approach to crime. Unlike federal law, which designates extreme animal cruelty as a felony under the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act signed in 2019, securing a significant prison sentence for Ohlson in California would depend on prosecutors obtaining a felony conviction at trial.