Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2011 9:53:53 GMT -5
www.uticaod.com/features/x1587959753/Police-pursuit-includes-Oneida-Madison-counties
This well trained soldier just back from Afganistan is making a fool out of the State Troopers. Go get em Soldier
It was about 24 hours into the search for wanted Fort Drum Pfc. Russell C. Marcum in the West Winfield area early this morning when there were reports of a 2006 white Buick being stolen on Main Street at some point after 8 p.m. Friday.
Not long after midnight, officials throughout Central New York were alerted that an OnStar device in the vehicle showed it to be in Tompkins County, which is located in western New York south of Rochester.
What resulted was a search of the rural woods and fields that still was in progress at about 4 a.m. today, a similar situation to just one night before when local law enforcement set up a command post at the West Winfield firehouse.
Now a police command post has been set up in Dryden after the car reportedly was ditched in a field. Officials from western New York were not releasing any other details, including whether a chase was involved.
And similar to the local manhunt Thursday and Friday, canine units and special operations teams were being put into place and a helicopter was summoned.
Marcum, from Morgantown, W. Va., ended up in the Richfield/West Winfield area at about 10 p.m. Thursday after a five-county vehicle pursuit that followed a felony burglary charge lodged against him earlier this week.
He was deployed to Afghanistan this year from January to March, according to officials at Fort Drum.
“He is a trained soldier, so we’re taking every precaution that we can and we believe we’re still able to track him and we’re using our helicopters and canine units,” said Trooper Jack Keller, the public information officer for state police Troop D, earlier Friday.
'They'll catch him at some point'
Despite the overwhelming police presence Friday in the West Winfield area, no noticeable businesses were shuttered, and residents continued on their daily routines.
Business owners in the area said state police had been handing out fliers with a photo and basic information about the 20-year-old soldier.
Charles Russell sat behind the counter Friday morning at Cheyenne Trading Post in Richfield Springs, holding a police flier.
“I’m not even worried about it,” Russell said. “They’ll catch him at some point. There are enough cops here. They can take care of it.”
Throughout Richfield Springs and West Winfield, most residents and business owners said they weren’t concerned about the manhunt, although they were impressed by the large police presence in such a rural area.
“Normally, this village is very quiet and subdued,” said Cory Rose, of West Winfield. “No one feels threatened because everyone has guns around here anyway.”
Rose stood across the street from the police command post, snapping cellphone pictures of a large mobile command unit parked outside.
“We’ve been keeping our eye on the news last night and today,” said Jeannie Barnun, who owns the 13-unit Jeannie’s Dream Motel in West Winfield. “We’ve been seeing state troopers and local police cars going up and down the street all day.”
Soldier was in custody
The manhunt for Marcum began Thursday night in Jefferson County where he was under “unit custody” in barracks after making bail on a civilian charge of felony third-degree burglary, Fort Drum spokeswoman Julie Cupernall said. He was not in military police custody, but was being watched by a corporal of his unit, she said.
Marcum was accused of stealing a $700 plasma TV from a storage locker rented by a Watertown man. He was charged Sept. 12 and sent to the Metro-Jefferson Public Safety Building in Watertown on $10,000. A warrant was put out for him Friday regarding the burglary.
“He was being transported by the military, according to their rules and policies and procedures … but he unfortunately assaulted one of the corporals that were escorting him,” Keller said. “He escaped and then he stole his parents’ truck, and they had come up from West Virginia to visit him.”
Marcum then began traveling south on Interstate 81 in the white 2003 Chevy Avalanche when an alert was sent to area police agencies about the sport utility vehicle, Keller said.
Pursuit in several counties
Police in Onondaga County spotted the SUV at about 9:30 p.m. and began to pursue it using a patrol unit and a helicopter. Marcum then turned off the highway and began driving east on Route 20, troopers said.
The chase then led into Madison, Oneida, Herkimer and Otsego counties.
In the town of Sangerfield, troopers used stop sticks to damage the vehicle’s tires. Marcum then traveled about another 15 miles on damaged tires until veering off the south side of the road near Coal Hill Road and crashing in an open field.
“It was his parents’ vehicle, but inside we did find a flak jacket and his (uniform) sweatshirt,” Keller said.
The suspect then fled on foot into a ravine, then into cornfields and woods. The helicopter crew kept ground police updated with the suspect’s location.
Keller said that police believed Marcum had a flashlight when he fled the vehicle. He also might be wearing a brown, hooded sweatshirt that he stole from a nearby residence.
Marcum also might have made suicidal statements in calls to his cellphone, although Keller said he could not comment about the situation.
Along Route 20 just west of Skinner Road in Richfield, police were stopping cars Friday morning to check for the missing soldier, ask drivers for information and check vehicle trunks. The road was open throughout the morning.
— Contributing: The Associated Press
This well trained soldier just back from Afganistan is making a fool out of the State Troopers. Go get em Soldier
It was about 24 hours into the search for wanted Fort Drum Pfc. Russell C. Marcum in the West Winfield area early this morning when there were reports of a 2006 white Buick being stolen on Main Street at some point after 8 p.m. Friday.
Not long after midnight, officials throughout Central New York were alerted that an OnStar device in the vehicle showed it to be in Tompkins County, which is located in western New York south of Rochester.
What resulted was a search of the rural woods and fields that still was in progress at about 4 a.m. today, a similar situation to just one night before when local law enforcement set up a command post at the West Winfield firehouse.
Now a police command post has been set up in Dryden after the car reportedly was ditched in a field. Officials from western New York were not releasing any other details, including whether a chase was involved.
And similar to the local manhunt Thursday and Friday, canine units and special operations teams were being put into place and a helicopter was summoned.
Marcum, from Morgantown, W. Va., ended up in the Richfield/West Winfield area at about 10 p.m. Thursday after a five-county vehicle pursuit that followed a felony burglary charge lodged against him earlier this week.
He was deployed to Afghanistan this year from January to March, according to officials at Fort Drum.
“He is a trained soldier, so we’re taking every precaution that we can and we believe we’re still able to track him and we’re using our helicopters and canine units,” said Trooper Jack Keller, the public information officer for state police Troop D, earlier Friday.
'They'll catch him at some point'
Despite the overwhelming police presence Friday in the West Winfield area, no noticeable businesses were shuttered, and residents continued on their daily routines.
Business owners in the area said state police had been handing out fliers with a photo and basic information about the 20-year-old soldier.
Charles Russell sat behind the counter Friday morning at Cheyenne Trading Post in Richfield Springs, holding a police flier.
“I’m not even worried about it,” Russell said. “They’ll catch him at some point. There are enough cops here. They can take care of it.”
Throughout Richfield Springs and West Winfield, most residents and business owners said they weren’t concerned about the manhunt, although they were impressed by the large police presence in such a rural area.
“Normally, this village is very quiet and subdued,” said Cory Rose, of West Winfield. “No one feels threatened because everyone has guns around here anyway.”
Rose stood across the street from the police command post, snapping cellphone pictures of a large mobile command unit parked outside.
“We’ve been keeping our eye on the news last night and today,” said Jeannie Barnun, who owns the 13-unit Jeannie’s Dream Motel in West Winfield. “We’ve been seeing state troopers and local police cars going up and down the street all day.”
Soldier was in custody
The manhunt for Marcum began Thursday night in Jefferson County where he was under “unit custody” in barracks after making bail on a civilian charge of felony third-degree burglary, Fort Drum spokeswoman Julie Cupernall said. He was not in military police custody, but was being watched by a corporal of his unit, she said.
Marcum was accused of stealing a $700 plasma TV from a storage locker rented by a Watertown man. He was charged Sept. 12 and sent to the Metro-Jefferson Public Safety Building in Watertown on $10,000. A warrant was put out for him Friday regarding the burglary.
“He was being transported by the military, according to their rules and policies and procedures … but he unfortunately assaulted one of the corporals that were escorting him,” Keller said. “He escaped and then he stole his parents’ truck, and they had come up from West Virginia to visit him.”
Marcum then began traveling south on Interstate 81 in the white 2003 Chevy Avalanche when an alert was sent to area police agencies about the sport utility vehicle, Keller said.
Pursuit in several counties
Police in Onondaga County spotted the SUV at about 9:30 p.m. and began to pursue it using a patrol unit and a helicopter. Marcum then turned off the highway and began driving east on Route 20, troopers said.
The chase then led into Madison, Oneida, Herkimer and Otsego counties.
In the town of Sangerfield, troopers used stop sticks to damage the vehicle’s tires. Marcum then traveled about another 15 miles on damaged tires until veering off the south side of the road near Coal Hill Road and crashing in an open field.
“It was his parents’ vehicle, but inside we did find a flak jacket and his (uniform) sweatshirt,” Keller said.
The suspect then fled on foot into a ravine, then into cornfields and woods. The helicopter crew kept ground police updated with the suspect’s location.
Keller said that police believed Marcum had a flashlight when he fled the vehicle. He also might be wearing a brown, hooded sweatshirt that he stole from a nearby residence.
Marcum also might have made suicidal statements in calls to his cellphone, although Keller said he could not comment about the situation.
Along Route 20 just west of Skinner Road in Richfield, police were stopping cars Friday morning to check for the missing soldier, ask drivers for information and check vehicle trunks. The road was open throughout the morning.
— Contributing: The Associated Press
He called his parents and told them he would not be taken alive. 
