After more than five months, Elyria Police’s search for Donte Parker, a wanted fugitive, came to an end late Friday morning.
Elyria Police said they were called just before noon to investigate a reported sighting of Parker on Riverside Drive and 11th Street.
When police arrived, they discovered Parker leaving the back of a nearby house.
Body camera footage from the Elyria Police Department captured Officer Juker running into the woods to apprehend Parker, who was eventually apprehended in the Black River following a wild chase.
Nearby neighbors, such as Topeka Taylor, expressed relief that Parker is off the streets and facing multiple charges, including escape.
“My daughter heard something the other day, and we assumed it was a deer approaching, and she said, ‘Mommy, did you hear that noise? It’s really, really loud, and I’m like, ‘Okay girl, let’s go inside,'” Taylor explained. “Kinda relieved to know that he’s off the streets now.”
Taylor is unsure whether the noise her daughter heard was made by Parker, but police say they’ve been looking for him for months after he was arrested at a Washington Avenue residence and then escaped while handcuffed.
Authorities said Parker crossed the Black River, but despite extensive searches, he was not found until Friday.
“Officer Juker’s persistence and determination resulted in the safe arrest of a violent fugitive who posed a significant threat to our community. “His commitment reflects the Elyria Police Department’s dedication to public safety and the pursuit of justice,” said Elyria Police Capt. Bill Lantz.
