Machetes used in wooded-area hunt for Rowan County fugitive

MOREHEAD, Ky. (FOX 56) — New information was released on Friday about a fugitive who escaped from custody in Rowan County.

The Morehead Police Department issued a public safety alert around 5:45 a.m. Tuesday, May 6, saying 35-year-old Anthony Martinez escaped from the U.K. Saint Claire Hospital in Morehead.

In a Facebook post Friday morning, the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office said Martinez was wanted for bank robbery and other charges.

Reportedly, the police department received information on Thursday that Martinez may have been in a densely wooded area near Triplett Creek.

They used machetes to cut their way through and spotted Martinez, giving him commands to get on the ground, the sheriff’s office said.

Martinez reportedly ran directly into an officer, and at one point, he was able to slip one handcuff from his wrist and assaulted the officer, telling him he was going to kill him.

Other officers tried to get control of Martinez, but he continued fighting back, attempting to grab their weapons and pushing officers, ending up in the cold water of Triplett Creek.

“This suspect was approximately 6′ 2″, weighing approximately 240 pounds, and willing to do anything, including killing police officers, to keep from being returned to jail. I can only imagine what he may have done if he had encountered an unarmed resident,” Rowan County Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook.

In the sheriff’s office call said that, despite what the news release from the Morehead Police Department would make you think, the arrest wasn’t normal.

“So now that you know ‘The rest of the story,’ if you see one of the officers involved in this arrest, do exactly what I did, say thank you! Thank you for going above and beyond, thank you for putting your life on the line to make sure a dangerous fugitive is back where he belongs!” the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office said.