Local authorities search for escaped anti-abortionist fugitive
03 Mar 2001
From the (Springfield IL) State Journal-Register--
Local authorities searching for anti-abortionist fugitive
Sangamon County sheriff's deputies have been driving rural roads, and
Springfield police have been searching city parking lots looking for a
pickup an anti-abortionist prison escapee is believed to have stolen
last week in DeWitt County.
"In the last 24 hours, we've been going down every single county
road," Sheriff Neil Williamson said Friday. "There's only two
townships left to go in the southwestern part of the county. We're
looking in every barn and abandoned building to eliminate the chance
he may have driven his truck here and abandoned it."
Clayton Lee Waagner, 44, escaped from the DeWitt County Jail in
Clinton, about 45 miles northeast of Springfield, Feb. 22 while
awaiting sentencing on federal weapons and vehicle theft convictions.
He is described as 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, with brown hair, green eyes
and scars on his right knee, right ankle and nose.
He was arrested Sept. 12, 1999, after crossing into Illinois from
Indiana with his wife and eight children in a stolen motor home. Four
stolen handguns were found under the driver's seat.
Waagner said during his trial that he'd received messages from God to
kill abortion providers.
Last Saturday, a man matching his description and wearing brown
coveralls stole a pickup from a Clinton gas station. The truck is
described as a 1993, two-tone gray Ford F-150.
The U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force has been searching for
Waagner since his escape, reportedly through a ventilation duct.
Authorities do not believe the Pennsylvania resident has any personal
ties to Illinois, but Williamson said there may be other anti-abortion
sympathizers who would help him elude capture.
"They may have a network where they'd protect someone," the sheriff
said.
The task force has provided wanted posters and vehicle descriptions to
local authorities and is asking police in Sangamon, Christian, Menard,
Logan, Mason and Macon counties to keep a lookout for Waagner or the
stolen truck.
Springfield police Cmdr. Bill Pittman said city officers are
canvassing the airport parking lot, parking garages, mall lots and
other places.
"They expanded their search to other counties outside where they were
initially looking and have asked us specifically to look at used-car
lots, shopping malls and anywhere where a car parked long term
wouldn't appear suspicious," Pittman said. "We haven't found it yet."
Christian County Sheriff Bob Kindermann said two investigators
searched the northern townships of the county Thursday.
"No, there's been no sightings of him. No one suspects he's in
Christian County, but (DeWitt County) Sheriff Roger Massey, the U.S.
Marshals Service and the FBI, we just want to do a thorough search of
the area where he might possibly be."
Any text written by other authors which may be quoted in part or in full
within this coverage of this issue is provided according to U. S. Code
Title 17 "Fair Use" dictates which may be reviewed at
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html If you're an author
of an article and do not wish to allow it to be mirrored or otherwise
provided on The Skeptic Tank web site, let us know and it will be
removed fairly promptly.
Return to The Skeptic Tank's main Index page.
By SARAH ANTONACCI
STAFF WRITER
The views and opinions stated within this web page are those of the
author or authors which wrote them and may not reflect the views and
opinions of the ISP or account user which hosts the web page. The
opinions may or may not be those of the Chairman of The Skeptic Tank.