Northampton Twp Man Burned, Killed Dog In Outdoor Fire: Police

NORTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP, PA — A Northampton Township man is held in Bucks County prison on $1 million bail after police said he burned his dog beyond recognition, killing it.

According to Northampton Township Police, officers were dispatched to a home on Holly Knoll Drive shortly after 7 a.m. Friday for a report of a fire pit and a couch on fire in the front yard.

When officers arrived, they located the homeowner, Nikolay Lukyanchikov, sitting on a bench near the fire. He had a firearm sitting on the bench directly his right, police said.

Once the fire was under control, officers observed an unknown animal badly burned and charred on top of a small metal charcoal grill.

Authorities later determined the animal was Lukyanchikov's dog. Northampton Township Police Chief Steven LeCompte confirmed to Patch that the dog died as a result of the incident.

Lukyanchikov was taken into custody and arraigned on a felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals, among other charges.

He was sent to Bucks County Corrections with a bail set at 10 percent of $1 million. A preliminary hearing is set for May 20, court records show.