MONROE, La. — A Monroe man has been arrested and is facing one count of Simple Cruelty to Animals after deputies say he hit a Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office K-9 in the face with a bundle of Mardi Gras beads.

According to arrest reports, the OPSO deputy and K-9 were working the Krewe of Janus Mardi Gras parade. During the parade, 22-year-old Vernon Cotton, who was riding on a parade float, threw a bundle of Mardi Gras beads at the K-9 and struck her in the face. The deputy states that the bundle of beads was approximately the size of a basketball and weighed 3 lbs.

The report states that Cotton intentionally threw the beads at the K-9 and at that time, the deputy and K-9 were 10 feet away from the float with no civilians nearby.

When questioned by the deputy, Cotton stated: “That’s my bad.”

Cotton was arrested and taken to the Ouachita Correctional Center where he was booked on one count of Simple Cruelty to Animals. He has since been released.