Ohio officer fined $500 after being convicted of misdemeanor K-9's heatstroke death

A municipal court judge has ordered a northeast Ohio police officer to pay a $500 fine after finding him guilty of animal cruelty for allowing a police dog to die of heatstroke in the back of a cruiser.

Following a bench trial Wednesday, Montville Township police Sgt. Brett Harrison was found guilty of one count of companion animal cruelty but not guilty of a second count. Harrison had pleaded not guilty to both misdemeanor charges.

Police say the 2-year-old German shepherd named Beny died Sept. 28 after Harrison left him in a cruiser in the station parking lot for four hours with the car off and windows rolled up.

The officer said he thought he left the air conditioner on. He previously apologized to the community for the dog's death.