Family witnesses puppy's death

A Carson City man with a suspended driver's license was arrested Thursday after he struck and killed a puppy being walked on a leash through a College Parkway crosswalk.

Herman Lowe, 63, was booked into the Carson City Jail on suspicion of misdemeanor driving on a license suspended for DUI, no proof of insurance and failing to yield to a pedestrian.

Slava Kolupaev, his wife, Ieva, their two small children in a stroller and Ieva's 11-year-old sister, Maria, were crossing Northgate Lane southbound at College Parkway at dusk when the accident happened.

The family had al-ready crossed the westbound lanes and were entering the eastbound lanes when they saw Lowe's 1989 Olds-mobile coming toward them, said Kolupaev, who was in the front of the group with their 4-month-old shepherd-mix puppy, Dinga, about three feet in front of him on a leash.

"(The driver) was going much faster than the speed limit," he said.

Kolupaev said he tried to pull Dinga back, but it was too late. Lowe's vehicle struck the pup, launching her 60 feet, Slava said.

While a female in the vehicle drove off, Lowe, who had been driving, approached the family, Kolupaev said.

"And the first thing he said was, 'Your dog was too far away from you,'" Kolupaev recalled.

"Slava was like waving his hand and waving and waving and he tried pulling back the dog and the dog starts running. I'm just standing there crying, screaming and the dog flies like far," said Maria, who said she can't stop thinking about the horrific scene.

Ieva said she's saddened to lose Dinga, but relieved that it wasn't one of the children or her husband who was injured.

And she noted the accident underlines the hazards of trying to cross College Parkway on foot.

"That street is very dangerous. If something can be done that would be so nice. There are a lot of children around here," she said. "If he had swerved, it could have been one of us."

According to the arrest report, "Lowe said he felt really bad and was sorry." His vehicle was located in the Wal-Mart parking lot.

Lowe's bail was set at $2,006.

• Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.