This story was last updated at 8 a.m. Monday, Sept. 17. For the most recent story relating to the federal fugitive please click here.
MANSFIELD — Law enforcement authorities are still searching Monday morning for a federal fugitive who they believe fled on foot after crashing a stolen truck north of the I-71/Ohio 13 interchange Sunday evening.
The suspect, identified as Shawn Christy, 26, of Pennsylvania, is believed to have ran after crashing a white 2002 GMC utility truck he reportedly stole just after midnight early Sunday morning near Hazle Township in Luzarne County, Pennsylvania, a six-hour drive from Mansfield.
Christy is wanted by the FBI, U.S. Marshal’s Service and U.S. Secret Service for multiple offenses. He is considered armed and dangerous.
He is described as a 5-10, 150-pound white male with green eyes and short brown hair in a press release from the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Another release from the U.S. Marshals Service describes Christy’s hair as dark blonde and provides further detail, saying he has a beard and cross tattoo on his upper right arm. He speaks with a noticeable lisp and claims to be a survivalist.
Anyone with information, should contact local law enforcement at 911 or 419-756-2222.
The U.S. Marshal Service is also asking anyone with information on the vehicle to call 911 or the U.S. Marshals at 1-866-4-WANTED or text keyword WANTED and the tip to TIP411 (847411).
At approximately 4:41 p.m., the Mansfield Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol responded to the report of a one vehicle crash on I-71 near mile marker 171 northbound.
“A witness, a passerby saw him flee,” said Capt. Ron Raines, the Bucyrus District Commander for the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
“We believe he was (Christy), but we don’t have anything (evidence) that puts him with the vehicle at the time of the crash.”
The crashed vehicle has a Pennsylvania registration ZJP4486 and was reported stolen from Skitco Iron Works about 385 miles from Mansfield.
Raines said, Christy has a history of stealing vehicles. He encouraged area residents to secure their homes and vehicles.
A helicopter has joined the search and Ontario and Mansfield police are also assisting with their drone units.
More than a dozen law enforcement vehicles were parked along the right side of northbound I-71 and authorities were searching the fields east of the interstate throughout the evening.
Raines also said officers addressed a call about “a shot fired” near Woodville Road. They have since looked into this.
“We were not able to locate him in that area,” he said.
It was unknown whether or not the shot was related to the manhunt.
Traffic was moving slowly along I-71 Sunday evening, but has since sped up. The pick-up truck was visibly crashed on the east side of I-71 on a hill next to a cornfield. It has been moved from the scene.
Christy is wanted by the FBI for alleged threats against President Trump and for interstate communication of threats. He may be in possession of stolen handguns.
The FBI, U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Marshals Service are seeking public assistance in finding the McAdoo, Pennsylvania, resident. Christy is wanted for allegedly threatening to harm/kill a police chief, other law enforcement officers and a district attorney, in addition to the President.
Christy allegedly posted the threats on Facebook between June 3 and June 12, saying he was going to shoot Trump in the head and would use “lethal force” against any law enforcement officer trying to stop him.
A federal arrest warrant was issued on June 19. This is in addition to multiple state arrest warrants in Pennsylvania for burglary, probation violation and failure to appear for an aggravated assault case.
According to the Allentown Morning Call, Christy has led officials on a chase through five states, and briefly, into Canada.
The FBI is offering up to a $20,000 reward for information leading to Christy’s arrest, according to a press release from the U.S. Marshals. A flyer provided earlier by the Ohio State Highway Patrol listed that the FBI was offering up to $10,000 with possibly additional money coming from the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Marshals.
The Mansfield Police Department, the Richland County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshal, the U.S. Secret Service, the Ohio Highway State Patrol and the Ontario Police Department are among the units working to locate Christy.
Monday morning, several Richland County schools closed, citing the manhunt as the reason. Lucas Local Schools, Madison Local Schools, Madison Adult Education and St. Mary’s School in Mansfield were among those that closed.
A dispatcher at the Ohio State Highway Patrol informed the Richland Source Monday morning that more information would be available to the press at about 9 a.m.
