Man put on probation for killing parrot during NASCAR race
A 67-year-old New Jersey man was sentenced to probation for shooting his family's 20 year old African Gray Parrot because the parrot was squawking while he was trying to watch NASCAR.
From App.com, which has now covered a drunk Snooki and this in the span of less than a week:
Dennis Zeglin was admitted Wednesday by state Superior Court Judge Thomas V. Manahan into the county's pretrial intervention program for first-time offenders. If he successfully serves three years on probation, an animal cruelty charge will be dismissed, and he will not have a conviction on his record.
Under the program's terms, Zeglin also must complete 100 hours of community service assisting a society for the prevention of cruelty to animals or another organization that provides humane care to creatures. He also must comply with alcohol counseling and pay $1,000 for services and investigation done by the animal control officer for Randolph.
Zeglin declined to comment Monday. Defense attorney Stephen Fletcher could not be reached. He has said that Zeglin was intoxicated when he shot Mikey on June 7, 2009, because the parrot distracted him with its squawks as Zeglin watched a NASCAR race on television.
Zeglin also immediately entered an alcohol treatment program.
The race on that date was the Pocono 500 -- won by Tony Stewart -- so maybe Mr. Zeglin is a Stewart fan? Apparently fuel mileage drama cannot be interrupted by a squawking parrot.
(Our condolences to the parrot.)
