Police apprehend escaped prisoner
Around 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, detectives with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office received a call from the Richmond post of the Kentucky State Police regarding an escaped prisoner, according to a release from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.
New Bremen Schools had entered a lockdown around noon on Wednesday due to a “threat in the area”.
Detectives were advised that Fredrick C. Pierce, 45, escaped from a work detail and after an extensive search, it was learned that Pierce had broken into the Madison Animal Shelter, stole some uniforms and badges belonging to the Madison County Animal Shelter and stolen a white 2008 Ford Ranger belonging to the Madison County Animal Shelter.
Investigators learned that Pierce had plotted to escape and asked for the help of a female subject in Shelby County. Therefore, it was believed that Pierce, who had ties to Shelby County, was en route to the county in the stolen vehicle.
Shelby County detectives began searching locations known to have been visited by Pierce, and as they were conducting their investigation, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office dispatch received a call about a truck stuck in a ditch on Thompson-Schiff Road.
The caller described the vehicle as a Ford Ranger with markings that said Madison County Animal Shelter. Upon checking the area, the vehicle was found to have gotten out of the ditch and traveled westbound on Fort Loramie-Swanders Road.
As the investigation continued, it was believed that the subject who was aiding Pierce had traveled into the New Bremen area in Auglaize County, which resulted in an extensive search of those areas. Around 4 p.m., a Shelby County deputy, who was sitting surveillance in the Comanche Drive area, saw two subjects drive up in a known vehicle and get out at a residence on Comanche Drive. The male subject fit the description of Pierce.
Deputies responded to the location and after a perimeter was set up, a female walked out of the residence. Detectives were later informed by a witness that Pierce was in the attic of
the residence. Communication was made with Pierce, who was hiding in the attic. After some time, Pierce was talked out of the attic and taken into custody without incident.
During the interview with Pierce, it was learned that he had hid the vehicle off of a long lane near the Jackson Center area.
Pierce cooperated with detectives and took them to where the vehicle had been left. Deputies located the vehicle in the 15000 block of Morris Rose Road. The vehicle was found to have been stripped of the dog kennel and all of the Madison County Animal Shelter markings had been grinded off.
Detective’s were also able to locate the dog cage and other items from the vehicle at another residence on Morris Rose Road.
Pierce was booked into the Shelby County Jail on one count of receiving stolen property.
“I would like to thank the Auglaize County Sheriff’s Office, the Grand Lake Task Force, New Bremen and St. Marys Police Departments, the Ohio State Patrol, along with their aviation unit, FBI and the U.S. Marshal’s Office that assisted in this investigation, without their untiring effort we would not have been able to accomplish what we did,” stated Shelby County Sheriff James R. Frye in the release. “This is the second time this week that we have seen great cooperation between agencies and their efforts resulted in the quick apprehension of a fugitive.”