Colorado Man Accused Of Sex With Horse Escapes Jail, Takes Cop On Short Pursuit In Nearby River

A man accused of sexually assaulting a horse pulled off a brazen escape from jail earlier this week.

Jonah Barrett-Lesko was jailed in La Plata County Jail in Durango, Colorado, after being caught on camera having sex with a horse at the La Plata County fairgrounds during the night of June 17th. He eventually had his animal cruelty charges dismissed as part of a plea deal. However, the 25-year-old still faced trespassing charges in connection to several robberies.

On Tuesday, jail officials discovered Barrett-Lesko missing from the recreation yard, where he had been alone for some time before his escape. Surveillance footage shows him climbing over a wall then using a hole in a fenced area to escape the jail grounds.

Police tracked him about 25 miles away to the Animas River after receiving a phone call about a suspected escaped inmate running by a local Office Depot. Durango Police Chief Bob Brammer also spotted the man running close to the river before entering the water. He had shed his jumpsuit by this time and was only wearing his boxers when officers began pursuing him.

“That’s what really attracted my attention to him because you don’t see half-naked people running through the woods in their boxer shorts,” Brammer stated.

The chief and another officer attempted to get Barrett-Lesko out of the river multiple times. Eventually, other officers arrived and surrounded the man, who gave up and surrendered without a struggle.

A felony escape count has now been added to Barrett-Lesko’s list of charges.

Man escapes from La Plata County Jail, is arrested in Animas River. Jonah Barrett-Lesko led police on chase outside jail days before his sentencing.https://t.co/8VEKEdvmVl pic.twitter.com/QZ9ayQoLx7

— Durango Herald (@DurangoHerald) September 22, 2021