The thrill seeker who was mauled after jumping into the tiger pen at the Bronx Zoo pleaded not guilty yesterday to trespassing
David Villalobos “is a very intelligent person and he’ll explain exactly what happened,” his lawyer, Corey Sokoler, said after the suspect’s appearance in Bronx Criminal Court.
On Sept. 21, the 25-year-old from upstate Mahopac jumped from a monorail train that passes over the zoo’s Wild Asia exhibit.
A Siberian tiger named Bashuta then chomped on his leg, seriously wounding him.
Villalobos was rescued by zoo workers.
According to the court complaint, he told cops his adventure was “a spiritual thing.” He said he wanted to be “at one with the tiger.”
“I was testing my natural fear,” he explained.
Villalobos is due back in court on June 13.