'Justice for Ludwig' dog-shooting controversy now the subject of lawsuit
Nearly two years after his beloved dog was shot to death by a neighbor, Joe Petit of Wayne still seeks justice for Ludwig.
This time, he has turned to civil court, in a lawsuit alleging Hal Phipps violated the state's Humane Care for Animals Act by committing animal torture and intentionally causing the dog to suffer serious injury or death.
Petit wants more than $75,000 in punitive damages, plus compensation for veterinary bills and the "upbringing" of Ludwig, according to the lawsuit, which was filed July 14 in Kane County Circuit Court.
"He hunted after them (Petit's dogs)," Petit said Thursday. "It's so disgusting. Our justice system has screwed me over."
Phipps has not responded to requests for comments.
The lawsuit alleges that when Phipps shot the Dogo Argentino, it was a "willful and intentional act ... done without provocation, in disregard of humanity."
Ludwig was killed on Aug. 10, 2021. Petit had let a friend take Ludwig and Ludwig's brother out of his house. They went through the backyard down to the Fox River shoreline to play.
Phipps told authorities that Ludwig then came onto his property and charged at him. Fearing the dog would attack him, Phipps shot Ludwig. Phipps had been bitten by Ludwig several weeks earlier, according to tickets Petit received in June 2021.
Petit disputes that Ludwig was on Phippses' property. In the lawsuit, he alleges Phipps saw the dogs heading to the river, drove there in an ATV, got out and shot Ludwig in the side, "execution style," out of anger and spite.
The lawsuit alleges Petit has suffered extreme emotional distress and will continue to sustain that distress, plus anxiety, anger, depression and humiliation.
It's the latest chapter in the "Justice for Ludwig" story. Phipps is the husband of longtime Wayne Village President Eileen Phipps.
The shooting was investigated by the Kane County sheriff's office, even though Wayne has its own police department. The sheriff and Kane County State's Attorney Jamie Mosser cleared Phipps of wrongdoing, saying he shot in self-defense.
Months later, Mosser agreed to present information to a grand jury. But she changed her mind several months after that.
Many of Petit's supporters were enraged that Phipps wasn't charged with violating a village ordinance about firing guns within village limits. Some believe Phipps got special treatment due to his wife's being president.
Since the shooting, Petit has adopted a new dog - born the day Ludwig was shot - given to him by a breeder from New York. Her name is Justice.
Blast from the past
This name on a Kane County docket caught Susan's eye last week: Mark Campobello.
He was a priest at a Geneva Catholic church and was charged in 2002 and 2003 with sexual abuse of two girls. One of them was 16 when it happened; he was 39. He was convicted and sentenced to eight years in prison.
Campobello has been charged with felony failure to report his address as a sex offender. He is also charged with misdemeanor driving under the influence of alcohol and resisting a peace officer.
Court records on the DUI show him having an Aurora address, but the felony complaint says he is homeless. He was still in the Kane County jail as of Thursday afternoon, being held on $14,300 bail.
It's not the first time Campobello has gotten in post-conviction trouble. He was found guilty in 2008 of violating parole.
More charges
Two women accused of stealing dozens of iPhones from a Verizon Wireless store in Bloomingdale are now accused of doing the same thing in Kane County an hour before that.
Mariana Iordache and Alisa Velcu were charged last week with burglary and theft around 3:11 p.m. July 25 at a Verizon store on Randall Road in South Elgin. Also charged is Federico Iordache, 20. All three list the same address, an extended-stay hotel in Schaumburg, according to DuPage and Kane court records.
The three are accused of breaking into a locked drawer and stealing three dozen iPhones.
Mariana Iordache, Velcu and an unnamed juvenile were arrested around 4:30 p.m. that day in Bloomingdale. They were accused of stealing 45 iPhones from a Verizon store on Army Trail Road.
Cool cops
Now that's a way to say "thank you" on a hot day.
An Aurora resident had a "doh" moment last July 27 - when she went outside to water her garden, she forgot to turn off her house alarm. A police officer showed up to make sure she was all right.
Finding her in the backyard wielding a hose, officer Bart Palaszewski told her he was checking on her safety. He joked, "So I don't think you are breaking in watering the plants."
He then got her name for his records and soon left.
Lois Sterling was so impressed by the thoughtful way he treated her that she decided to pay it back by treating officers to an icy treat on a hot day.
She sent a Kona Ice truck to the police department headquarters last Friday to give Palaszewski and his co-workers refreshing shaved ice treats.
"He could have acted like I was some kind of incompetent setting off my own home alarm and treated me very differently than he did," Sterling said. "You were kind, you were personable. Thank you."