Owner of Houston tiger arrested; tiger still unaccounted for
HOUSTON, Texas - The owner of a tiger that was spotted in a Houston neighborhood Sunday night has been arrested.
On Monday night, Victor Hugo Cuevas, 26, was taken into custody by authorities after being identified as the tiger's owner, according to the Houston Police Department.
UPDATE: Victor Hugo Cuevas, 26, is charged with felony evading arrest for fleeing from HPD patrol officers this morning. Attached is a 2017 booking photo.
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) May 10, 2021
If you see him, call @CrimeStopHOU at 713-222-TIPS.
The tiger portion of the investigation is continuing.#hounews https://t.co/8tI5FeZvJH pic.twitter.com/XCo9rvXOHI
According to Houston's KTRK, ABC 13, locals encountered a large tiger wandering around their neighborhood over the weekend.
The wild animal was seen Sunday, around 8 p.m. in a west Houston subdivision near the Highway 6 and Memorial area.
KTRK says local authorities were summoned, but by the the time they arrived the tiger was gone.
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Video footage of the encounter reveals a neighbor grabbing the animal by what appears to be a collar and leading it into a home. Witnesses say the neighbor, later identified as Cuevas, put the tiger into his white Jeep before speeding away.
Authorities engaged in a short vehicular pursuit with Cuevas, but lost sight of him.
You can watch the video of the encounter above. Credit: KTRK, ABC 13
According to Texas law, tigers can technically be owned as pets as long as the owner is able to obtain a certificate of registration. Cuevas also owns two monkeys, but they are under 30 pounds and therefore is abiding by Texas state law.
The tiger has still not been found.