Animal cruelty charges filed after dog thrown from car during Montclair road rage incident

MONTCLAIR, New Jersey (WABC) -- Animal cruelty charges have been filed against a New Jersey man caught on camera throwing a motorist's dog during an apparent road rage incident.

The New Jersey SPCA Humane Police filed the charges against 22-year-old Marc Dione, a Lyft driver from Upper Montclair, in connection with the incident that happened on Bloomfield Avenue last Wednesday.

The video, taken by two people in a car behind the two vehicles involved, shows two men fighting in the street. After an older man punches and shoves a younger one while shouting profanity, the younger man pulls the dog from the older man's passenger seat and throws it on the sidewalk. He then gets in his car and drives off.

The younger man was identified as Dione, who is charged with two counts of animal cruelty for torture and torment of a living creature -- one fourth-degree indictable charge and one civil charge -- on behalf of the 12-year-old miniature pinscher named Daphne.

Due to the indictable charge, the charges were filed in Essex County Superior Court.

Daphne made it back to the vehicle and did not run into traffic, and despite bruises and stress, she is said to be recovering well.

The NJSPCA Humane Police worked in conjunction with the Montclair Police Department and Montclair Animal Control Officer on the case.

It remains unclear what led up to the argument.