Lindsey Hintz, 39, submitted a plea in abeyance to class C misdemeanor disorderly conduct. According to the prosecuting attorney — an account agreed to by Hintz and her attorney — the charge stems from an incident last May in which Hintz kicked a dog into the air near Willow Creek Park.
Hintz was ordered to complete 30 hours of community service and a counseling course, and to pay a $405 fee. If she meets those requirements and does not violate the law for six months, the charge will be dismissed.
Defense attorney Jarom Bangerter told the court Hintz is a vegan for humanitarian reasons and does not want to harm any living creatures. He said he hoped the community could forgive his client.
“She’d like nothing more than to integrate and be a good part of this community,” Bangerter said.
Hintz was originally charged with three counts of cruelty to an animal, each a class C misdemeanor. Two of those charges, stemming from incidents that allegedly occurred in June and August, were dismissed with prejudice, meaning the charges cannot be filed again in the same court.
The Summit County Sheriff’s Office had received numerous complaints last summer of a person in the Snyderville Basin attacking dogs that were leashed and with their owners.
According to a description of events agreed to by both sides in court, Hintz was running near Willow Creek Park last May when she came up behind a woman walking her dog on a leash. Hintz kicked the dog into the air. The woman carried the dog home and did not seek veterinary care for the animal.
