Published: 1/6/2019 4:51:52 PM
Modified: 1/9/2019 10:21:45 AM
White River Junction — Everett Simpson, the man suspected of abducting a woman and child in New Hampshire and then sexually assaulting the woman at a hotel in White River Junction, was taken into custody following a car chase on Sunday evening outside Philadelphia, Vermont State Police said in a news release.
Police said Simpson, 41, whose most recent address was in St. Johnsbury, Vt., will now face extradition to Vermont following his arrest by the Upper Darby Township (Pa.) Police Department.
Simpson will likely face federal charges in Vermont related to car theft, kidnapping and sexual assault, police said.
Simpson was arrested after a manhunt and investigation that included the FBI, Vermont State Police, the Hartford Police Department and the Manchester, N.H, Police Department in conjunction with the Office of the U.S. Attorney for Vermont.
Police said initial ordeal began at about 1 p.m. on Saturday outside the Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester, when a man identified as Simpson forced a woman and her child into their car, a silver 2014 Kia Forte sedan with New Hampshire plates, and drove to Vermont.
When they reached White River Junction, Simpson is alleged to have forced the woman to rent a room at a hotel where he sexually assaulted her.
The victim was a stranger who was targeted at random, police said.
After Simpson left the hotel room at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday, the victim and child were able to contact the police.
Police earlier said Simpson had escaped from substance-abuse rehabilitation facility in eastern Vermont and stole a car three days ago.
He was at the facility under court-ordered conditions of release following his arrest in September for a vehicle theft, high-speed pursuit and aggravated assault on a Vermont State Police trooper in Lyndonville.
On Sunday afternoon, police from the Prospect Park, Pa., were on an unrelated traffic stop when an automated license-place recognition system (ALPR) identified the stolen Kia from New Hampshire, according to the Vermont State Police news release.
When the vehicle failed to stop for law enforcement, a chase ensued.
A short time later the Kia was found abandoned in the parking lot of a nearby apartment complex.
Police set up a perimeter and still were searching for the suspect about an hour later, when another vehicle was reported stolen from the area, a red Pontiac Vibe, Vermont police said.
Upper Darby Township police located that car and pursued it until it crashed into a telephone pole.
The operator was taken into custody and identified as Simpson. He was being evaluated at a hospital Sunday night.