A Reno man has been charged with animal cruelty in connection with the death of a kitten inside a San Francisco bank ATM vestibule, prosecutors announced Friday. William Ohlson, 33, faces charges including killing, maiming or abusing an animal, overdriving, overworking or overloading an animal, and resisting, obstructing or delaying a peace officer, according to the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office.
Authorities allege Ohlson entered a bank ATM vestibule on Market Street around 2 a.m. on July 1, carrying a small kitten. Prosecutors say he then tortured the animal to death before leaving the scene.
The investigation by San Francisco Animal Care and Control and the San Francisco Police Department led officers to a hotel on Fell Street. On July 14, police used a drone to spot Ohlson fleeing from his hotel room onto an adjacent rooftop.
Ohlson was taken into custody after a rooftop standoff. San Francisco Fire Department crews utilized a ladder truck to assist officers in safely apprehending him. He was booked into San Francisco County Jail No. 1 on animal abuse and resisting arrest charges. The investigation remains active.
Ohlson is scheduled to appear in court on Monday at 1:30 p.m. at the Hall of Justice. Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to contact the San Francisco Police Department Tip Line at 1-415-575-4444 or text TIP411 with “SFPD” at the beginning of the message.