Escaped Prisoner Arrested Near CVS by Salem Police Dept.

On Wednesday afternoon, March 19, Michael Anderson, 21, an inmate of Edinburgh Correctional Facility serving on an Indiana Department of Correction work crew, escaped while working on the Vallonia Tree Seeding Nursery. Yesterday afternoon, March 20, he was re-arrested. I sat down with Police Chief Eric Mills to discuss what happened.

Photo credit: Jonathan Smith

At approximately 2:07 p.m. yesterday, March 20, Salem City Police received a call in regard to a man who was believed to have shoplifted clothing items from the Salem Walmart on E Hackberry St. With the help of concerned citizens and Walmart Asset Protection, officers located the vehicle that Anderson was driving as he traveled west on E Hackberry St toward CVS.

"It was just the three of us working that day (Chief Mills, Lt. Russell Wilcoxson and Assistant Chief Chad Webb), and it worked out perfectly," said Chief Mills. "I tried to stop him near the intersection of Locust St and Hackberry St, and he fled for just a couple blocks in his vehicle. Before I could even get my vehicle in park, he was jumping out of the driver's seat and was running west toward North Main St."

Thanks to the vigilant work of the Salem Police Department, the arrest went smoothly without injury.

"It really ended up working out very well. No one was hurt, and the suspect was not hurt either," concluded Chief Mills.

Anderson was then transferred back to the Indiana Department of Corrections. In a post regarding the arrest, the Salem Police Department said, "The Salem Police Department extends its gratitude to citizens and Walmart Asset Protection for their assistance in safely capturing Anderson."

Photo provided by the Salem Police Department.

Michael Anderson mugshot.