NJ man pleads guilty in dog death after truck falls through ice

TOMS RIVER, N.J. -- A New Jersey man whose dog was inside a pickup truck that plunged through the ice on a frozen river has admitted his responsibility for the dog's death.

Ocean County prosecutors say Andrew Mayer pleaded guilty Monday to animal cruelty. They will recommend the 29-year-old Toms River man receive a 364-day county jail term when he's sentenced Dec. 9 and be barred from owning a pet.

Mayer also will have to pay restitution.

Mayer's 2-year-old boxer mix, Rolo, was found dead after the truck sank in March 2015. A witness told police that the truck was driven to the center of the river and began spinning in circles.

Another man got out of the truck before it went onto the ice. Neither he nor Mayer were injured.