The man accused of harboring two pit bulls who brutally attacked a Chihuahua on May 3 (after reportedly killing a Shi Tzu mix in January) has gone missing, dodging both the law and a warrant issued by a Manhattan judge.
Court records first reported by the New York Post reveal that Joseph Columbus, the elusive dog owner, led law enforcement on a dangerous high-speed chase through city streets last month, nearly hitting pedestrians and even a sheriff’s deputy. The next day, he allegedly slipped away again — this time with help from a middle school principal during his child’s graduation ceremony.
“At this juncture, we have no idea where he is or where the dogs are, which to me is really disturbing,” said Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Phaedra Perry-Bond at a June hearing, where she issued a warrant for Columbus’ arrest.
Joseph Columbus’ LinkedIN headshot
Columbus is facing a civil lawsuit filed by the owners of two small dogs — one of whom, Penny the Chihuahua, was mauled in May. The other, a Shih Tzu mix, was reportedly killed earlier this year. The suit alleges that Columbus is concealing “dangerous” animals — pit bulls named Rambo and Zooey — and has ignored multiple court orders to surrender them.
ALSO READ: Pit Bull Involved in Riverside Park Dog Attack Euthanized
After Columbus failed to appear at several hearings, Judge Perry-Bond signed an arrest warrant on June 13. The following week, authorities believed they had finally located him.
According to a sworn affidavit from city Sheriff’s Deputy Jorge Espinal, Columbus was spotted behind the wheel of a black Jeep Cherokee with Massachusetts plates on June 23. When the deputy attempted to pull him over, Columbus allegedly floored it.
Espinal said Columbus “violated numerous vehicle traffic laws,” sped through red lights, mounted sidewalks to avoid traffic, and forced pedestrians to leap out of the way. “Willfully disregarding multiple red traffic signals and driving onto public sidewalks…causing numerous pedestrians to jump out of the way to avoid being struck,” Espinal wrote in his account of the chase.
The situation became so dangerous, Espinal said, that officers had to abandon the pursuit to avoid further risk to the public.
Roughly an hour later, officers found the same Jeep in East Harlem. They tried to block it with their cruiser — but Columbus allegedly accelerated toward the officers, in what the affidavit describes as “an intentional attempt to ram it.” Once again, he escaped.
The next day, June 24, Columbus’ Jeep was located outside a high school where his child’s graduation was taking place. Espinal said school principal confirmed that Columbus was inside attending the ceremony. But rather than help officers detain him, the principal “knowingly help [sic] defendant evade apprehension by escorting defendant through back [sic] exit of the school,” the affidavit claims.
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Public records tied to the Jeep show it racked up four school-zone speeding tickets on the same day as the initial chase. Another car associated with Columbus — a white Acura he was seen entering after the May 3 attack on Penny — has accumulated 64 speeding tickets and more than 80 parking violations since 2021, the Post reports.
“We don’t want him endangering pedestrians or the public,” said Mollie Swears, the attorney representing the two dog owners. “We want him to turn himself in so the case can proceed.”
At a June 17 court hearing — where Columbus and his lawyer were again absent — Judge Perry-Bond criticized the fugitive dog owner for ignoring the legal process. “He shouldn’t have to come in with a warrant,” she said. “He is choosing to not come in. He is choosing to not surrender the dogs.”
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I DO hope they fully prosecute the principal of that school! A PRINCIPAL, no less!!!
why is it ok to chase this guy but not illegal immigrant criminals? Dog crimes are more worthwhile than human crimes?
Shut your trap, fascist pig. Hmm, “Lendl” doesn’t sound like a very American name, maybe ICE should come abduct you, loser.
“Roughly an hour later, officers found the same Jeep in East Harlem. They tried to block it with their cruiser — but Columbus allegedly accelerated toward the officers, in what the affidavit describes as “an intentional attempt to ram it.”
This is attempted vehicular manslaughter – on a police officer!! It is the ostensible reason that Sean Bell was gunned down by the NYPD in 2006.
This man has now broken almost every law on the books. So I hope he gets the book thrown AT him!! Talk about a menace to society!!
Pretty sure we’ve now got enough material in this wild saga for a true crime documentary of some sort.
Also, this guy’s behavior screams mental illness, e.g., lead exposure that created an aggressive and unreasonable mindset. He has (allegedly) let his dogs attack other people’s pets and has now turned a slap-on-the-wrist punishment into civil suits and potential felonies w/prison time smh.
How on earth is it possible that anyone with “64 speeding tickets and more than 80 parking violations since 2021” is allowed to drive and roam freely, inevitably causing more mayhem and death. Lock these criminals up! No one, absolutely no one, has the right to drive.
Why have they not set up a tristate manhunt for this guy? They know his license plate, so an APB to every single police officer and State trooper in NY, NJ and CT (and MA perhaps) should already have been issued.
And he should be taken down with lethal force, if necessary, given all the crimes has has actually been SEEN committing, including his attempt to run over police officers wit his vehicle.
Why the hell is it taking the NYPD and its surrounding colleagues to long to get this guy? Something is not right here.
Something tells me that the cops are not really trying to apprehend him.
So many jelly doughnuts, so little time.
Why can’t they go to the address where one or both cars are registered and locate this creep? Why can’t they put out an APB for this guy and both vehicles? And why in the world didn’t they impound one or both vehicles after even just 10 unpaid tickets? <over 4 years??? What about his female companion that some of the victims of his dogs' attacks took photos of? Can she be tracked down? At what point do the cops feel they should post "wanted" posters? <after this guy kills someone using his car (as he attempted to do during two chases)? He is a sociopath – at the very least – and should be gotten off the streets.
shouldn’t they have impounded the jeep outside the school?
Honestly? Starting to like this guy.