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Chaos, a Columbia County Sheriff's Office K9 officer, went missing Monday during a search east of Lake City. (COURTESY COLUMBIA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE)
A Columbia County Sheriff's Office K-9 officer remains missing after an early-morning search Monday.
A deputy began pursuit of 29-year-old Justin Pike around 11:40 p.m. Sunday at the Interstate 75 and U.S. Highway 90 interchange. Pike then fled on foot into the woods east of the Columbia County Sheriff's Office headquarters on U.S. 90 east of Lake City after deputies successfully deployed a spike strip.
Pike, who was wanted for a traffic violation, also had out-of-county warrants and narcotics on him, was captured late Monday morning in that wooded area, according to Sgt. Steven Khachigan, a CCSO spokesman.
However, Chaos, a CCSO K-9, remained missing Monday afternoon after he got off his leash during the search. Khachigan said Chaos went missing shortly after the vehicle pursuit ended. Chaos is wearing a marked sheriff's harness.
Chaos, a German Shepherd, has worked for the CCSO for 13 months.
The search for Chaos is being conducted between Tyre Road and the entrance to Florida Gateway College and from U.S. 90 and State Road 100.