HARTFORD, Vt. (AP) — A suspect wanted on kidnapping and sexual assault charges in New England was arrested Sunday in Pennsylvania after a manhunt and car chase, authorities said.
Vermont State Police said in a statement that the man forced a woman and her child into their car outside the Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester on Saturday and drove to Vermont. Police say he then sexually assaulted the woman. When the woman and the child reached safety, they called the police.
That set off a manhunt for the suspect — who was identified as Everett Simpson, 41, who was most recently a resident of St. Johnsbury, Vermont. Vermont State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hartford Police Department worked together on the search.
A call was placed to an attorney who has represented Simpson in the past seeking comment.
On Sunday afternoon, police from Prospect Park, Pennsylvania, were trying to perform an unrelated traffic stop when an automated system flagged the car in question as stolen, according to Vermont State Police. The car did not stop, and a chase ensued.
The car was eventually abandoned, and police were searching for the driver when another vehicle was reported stolen. Officers gave chase again, and that car crashed into a telephone poll. Police from Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania, took the driver into custody, and he was identified as Simpson. He is being evaluated at a hospital, Vermont police said.
Simpson faces extradition to Vermont and is expected to face federal charges related to car theft, kidnapping and sexual assault. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Burlington is coordinating the prosecution.
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