INDIAN RIVER COUNTY

Dog dies after left in car outside Sebastian bar on 97-degree day

Mary Helen Moore
Treasure Coast Newspapers
Harold Krages

SEBASTIAN — A man was charged with animal cruelty Thursday when his dog died after being left in a car outside a bar for hours as the heat index topped 100 degrees.

Harold Krages, 64, of the 13800 block of 97th Street, arrived at Earl's Hideaway shortly after noon Thursday, according to the Sebastian Police Department.

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He turned his car off, rolled the windows down slightly and left the dog inside, according to his arrest affidavit.

Police were called to the bar, 1405 Indian River Drive, about 4 p.m. as Krages was escorted off the premises. Other patrons had gotten angry upon learning Krages had left his dog outside in the stifling heat.

The patrons took the animal inside to the air-conditioned restroom, where it died, police reported.

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Heat-related deaths are preventable.

Temperatures reached 97 degrees Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. The vehicle was sweltering, its temperature at 102 degrees at 4:30 p.m., according to the affidavit.

Witnesses told police Krages said "the dog was old and that was going to die anyway."

Thursday marked the first day of summer. The Florida Department of Health recommends never leaving pets or children in hot cars.

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In the span of 10 minutes, a car can heat up by 20 degrees, enough to kill a child left alone in a vehicle, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Since 1998, 755 children have died in the U.S. from heatstroke after being left unattended in cars, the agency reported.

Signs of heat stroke and how to prevent it.

What to do

If you see a child alone in a hot car, here's what NHTSA recommends you do:

  • Don’t wait more than a few minutes for the driver to return.
  • If the child is unresponsive or in distress, immediately call 911.
  • Get the child out of the car if it is unlocked.
  • Spray the child with cool water. Do not give them an ice bath.
  • Stay with the child until help arrives.
  • Have someone else search for the driver or ask the facility to page them.

Warning signs of heatstroke include: red, hot, and moist or dry skin; no sweating; a pulse that is either strong and rapid or slow and weak; nausea; and confusion or strange behavior.

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