City, Barking Foe to Call the Whole Thing Arf
La Habra officials moved Friday to drop their nuisance lawsuit against Craig Beagle, a Walnut Street resident who repeatedly complained about barking dogs that nobody else could hear.
“Mr. Beagle has agreed to leave the city,†City Atty. Richard D. Jones said.
Beagle allegedly had called police 40 times in 90 days, complaining of barking dogs disturbing his peace. But officers who responded could never hear the reported barks.
In October, the city filed a lawsuit seeking a court order declaring Beagle a public nuisance and prohibiting him from making more calls.
After the lawsuit was filed, Beagle wrote the city, stating his intention to move from La Habra and inquiring whether the nuisance lawsuit would be dropped.
“It was nothing that we suggested,†Jones said of Beagle’s departure. “We got a letter from him, addressed to me, indicating that he had decided to sell his property and would be moving out before the end of the year. He asked if we would agree to dismiss the lawsuit, and we said, ‘Sure.’ â€
The city considered filing criminal charges against Beagle, alleging that he filed false police reports, but “we decided he was doing it without criminal intent,†Jones said.
“He was a nuisance, without prejudging his motives or passing on what he may or may not have been hearing,†Jones said.
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