FAIRMONT, W.Va. — A Rivesville man who escaped from authorities is back in custody following an arrest by the US Marshals Mountain State Fugitive Task Force.
Christopher Harold Harman, 40, was arrested Thursday night at approximately 11:15 p.m. in a traffic stop in Fairmont.
Harman was arrested based on warrants obtained by the Fairmont Police Department for escape, possession of stolen property, and driving with a revoked license. He is also wanted in Virginia for theft of an automobile.
On September 6, Harman was arrested by the Fairmont Police Department when he was observed operating a stolen vehicle from VA.
During the arrest, he was handcuffed and placed in a police cruiser for transport to the police department.
However, when the arresting officer stepped away from his cruiser to have the stolen vehicle towed from the scene, Harman managed to escape from the cruiser and fled the area. A search of the area ensued, but he was not able to be located.
The Mountain State Fugitive Task Force joined the hunt for this fugitive on Monday and Investigators were able to quickly identify where Harman was hiding in Fairmont.
On Thursday evening, Harman was observed exiting the home and entered a vehicle. That vehicle was followed until additional officers from the Fairmont Police Department arrived to assist with a traffic stop.
“Harman was only able to avoid the inevitable for a short period of time” U.S. Marshal Gary Gaskins said. “His flight ended where it began, with him handcuffed and in a police cruiser, only now he has multiple other charges to deal with”.
Harman was arrested without incident, later transported to the Fairmont Police Department for processing, then lodged at the North Central Regional Jail and was scheduled to be presented before a Marion County Magistrate Judge Friday.
As a result of the arrest, a stolen vehicle from Parkersburg was recovered and an investigation is currently being conducted to determine if Harman is the suspect in that vehicle theft as well.
Also during the arrest, Harman was also in possession of the handcuffs he managed to escape from on September 6.