TAMPA, Fla. — Criminal charges were dropped against the man accused of leaving his dog tied up to a fence along I-75 during Hurricane Milton, court records show.

The Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office filed a "Noelle Prosequi" document Wednesday, also requesting the withdrawal of any outstanding warrant in the case.

The dog, later named "Trooper," was found abandoned in belly-high flood waters just hours before Milton was expected to make landfall in October 2024. At the time, troopers posted a video showing the moment they found the dog near Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

The incident drew widespread outrage, eventually prompting lawmakers to pass "Trooper's Law," making it a third-degree felony to restrain or abandon a dog outside during a natural disaster. Anyone who violates

See Full Page