Man sentenced for assaulting Oakland County man trying to rescue abused dog

Man pleads no contest to assault charges

Rodney Beasley (Oakland County Jail)

MADISON HEIGHTS, Mich. – A man charged for beating a Madison Heights man on Christmas Eve was sentenced to less than a year.

Rodney Beasley was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon after assaulting Robert Cavanaugh on Dec. 24, 2024.

Recommended Videos



Cavanaugh’s family members said he was trying to rescue a dog when he was attacked. He was known for rescuing animals.

Cavanaugh was reportedly beaten with a pipe because he stepped between a helpless dog who was being abused and its owner. He later died.

Beasley was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, a 4-year felony. He pleaded no contest to his charge.

The 68-year-old was sentenced to 250 days in jail.


About the Author
Samantha Sayles headshot

Samantha Sayles is an Oakland University alumna who’s been writing Michigan news since 2022. Before joining the ClickOnDetroit team, she wrote stories for WILX in Lansing and WEYI in Flint.