An escaped inmate suspected of strangling an acquaintance and stealing a gun and two trucks while on the run led police in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania on a chase and rammed a cruiser before being captured Friday, authorities said.
State police took Robert Crissman into custody about 26 hours after authorities said he walked away from a work-release program at a jail about 40 miles (65 kilometres) northeast of Pittsburgh, where he was serving time for a probation violation.
The body of Tammy Long, 55, was discovered Thursday at a home about a mile (1.6 kilometres) away from the jail in Kittanning. A coroner said Friday she was strangled and suffered blunt force trauma to the head.
Armstrong County District Attorney Scott Andreassi called Long's death an "incredible tragedy." He said Crissman's quick capture was a testament to good police work and strong co-operation from the public.
Police were alerted to Crissman's location at about 7:30 a.m. Friday by a 911 caller who said he knocked on her door seeking help, Andreassi said. The woman recognized Crissman from news coverage of the escape and refused to let him in.
Crissman, 38, fled in a stolen truck as police converged on the Boggs Township home, leading a chase before he rammed the back of a state police cruiser and lost control of the truck, Andreassi said.
Crissman was treated for a hand injury and taken into custody at about 8:40 a.m., Andreassi said. He is being processed at a state police barracks and will be taken to a jail in a neighbouring county.
He faces charges of homicide, theft, escape and aggravated assault for the collision with the police vehicle. Information on his lawyer wasn't immediately available. A lawyer in a previous case was said to be on vacation and unavailable for comment.
Crissman had been in jail since July 24 for violating probation on a drug charge. There were no violent crimes on his record and he was trusted by staff, officials said.
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