By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

A Kansas man was sentenced to 30 days in jail and more than two years of probation after pleading guilty this week to animal cruelty and assault charges connected to three driving under the influence cases.

Tucker Rhoades, 20, Hays, was originally charged with three counts of driving under the influence, felony fleeing and eluding, failure to report an accident, and cruelty to animals.

As a result of the plea agreement in July, Rhoades pleaded guilty to three counts of assault and one count of animal cruelty.

Animal cruelty, an unclassified felony, carries a mandatory 30 days in jail, a $500 fine, a mandatory psychological evaluation and anger management.

Rhoades had already spent 22 days in jail and another 29 days in treatment and was given time served on Monday.

He was also sentenced to a total of 30 months or two years and two months of probation on the four charges.

Rhoades was sentenced Monday to 15 months of probation for the three misdemeanor DUIs and 12 months of probation for the felony cruelty to animals.

If he violates the terms of his probation, Rhoades could be sentenced to 27 months in the county jail.

He will also be ordered to pay $4,000 in fines.

According to court documents, on Nov. 19, 2017, Rhoades threw a kitten against the ceiling, a wall, a trash can, up in the air and finally against a stone wall, killing the animal.

Ellis County Attorney Tom Drees said Rhoades was intoxicated at the time of the incident.

Rhoades’ DUI arrests started when he was 16, with the latest arrest in September.