Woman who clung to getaway car to save stolen dog speaks out: 'I held on to the windshield wipers'

Ali Zacharias recalled desperately clinging to the hood of the getaway automobile because it sped by way of downtown Los Angeles. Contained in the car was the thieves’ valuable cargo: Onyx, her French bulldog and “buddy.”

Zacharias stated her solely thought was, “I’m not leaving this automobile. … I held on to the windshield wipers, considering they wouldn’t drive if I used to be on the automobile.”

They did.

“Earlier than I do know it, we’re going like 40 miles per hour,” she stated. She rode atop the hood for a brief method earlier than the automobile swerved and she or he rolled off. She was bruised and lower however not badly damage, she stated in an interview with The Instances on Sunday.

However as Zacharias stood watching the automobile disappear, she felt bereft. Onyx was gone.

Onyx, a French bulldog with one blue eye and one inexperienced eye, was stolen from his proprietor in downtown L.A. on Jan. 18.

(Ali Zacharias)

The terrifying scene was caught on video, which was later posted on Instagram and has since gone viral.

For the reason that Jan. 18 incident, Zacharias has been victimized a second time, by a scammer enjoying on her desperation to seek out Onyx. The person led her on a “goose chase” Sunday to extract $50 — for “gasoline cash,” the individual claimed — she informed The Instances.

Los Angeles police are investigating the incident however couldn’t be reached for remark Sunday.

French bulldogs are one of the vital standard small-breed canine on this planet, in response to the American Kennel Membership, “particularly amongst metropolis dwellers.” They’re recognized for his or her sq. heads, “bat” ears and charming disposition. Costly and in excessive demand, the canine have been a favourite goal of thieves lately within the L.A. space.

Two of Girl Gaga’s French bulldogs have been stolen in February 2021, and her canine walker was shot and wounded throughout the heist. The lady who recovered them and later sued — attempting to say the $500,000 reward — was discovered to be concerned with the dognappers. Extra just lately, thieves stole 12 purebred French bulldogs, together with a 10-month-old present canine named Roll X, from a Gardena pet store.

Zacharis’ heartbreak started when the West Hollywood girl, who says she manufactures garments, was on a lunch break with Onyx at a Entire Meals in downtown Los Angeles on Grand Avenue close to eighth Avenue. Onlookers have been watching the 44-year-old work together together with her canine. The black-and-white-speckled French bulldog is a bit of over a 12 months outdated and has completely different coloured eyes, the left blue and the best inexperienced.

“They have been watching me feed him meatballs and white fish. … I spoil him.”

He ducked beneath the desk the place she was sitting; she let him go as he explored. The subsequent factor she knew, she stated, a girl had picked up Onyx and was strolling away with him.

Onyx is a bit of over a 12 months outdated.

(Ali Zacharias)

“I assumed it was a misunderstanding,” Zacharias stated, so she adopted, calling out to the lady, who obtained right into a white Kia Forte. And nonetheless, she “didn’t punch into the truth that my canine was stolen. … I wasn’t in that mode.”

So she tried to comply with the lady into the automobile, which held 4 individuals, earlier than being pushed out. They locked the door. Zacharias stated she realized they have been “about to drive off with my canine, so I stood in entrance of the automobile, and I used to be holding my fingers up, like, ‘Cease, don’t go,’ and so they drove into me and I fell onto the hood.”

When she tried to explain to family members what had occurred, they weren’t in a position to recognize it, she stated — till Saturday, when she stated she grew to become conscious of video circulating on social media that confirmed these terrifying moments on the hood of the automobile.

“I get wind of this video on Instagram, and it modified my entire world,” she stated, “as a result of I had felt utterly alone.”

The video, taken by witness Harrison Pessy, has drawn quite a lot of curiosity from information retailers and social media channels, and Zacharias stated she hoped that will assist police clear up the case.

“I hope the subsequent story about it is a reunification story.”

A poster promising a reward has been circulated within the theft of a French bulldog in downtown L.A. on Jan. 18.

(Ali Zacharias)