Man accused of escaping police custody in Louisville found and arrested
Louisville police have found and arrested the man who escaped police custody Thursday in Louisville.
Norman K. Wolfe, 31, was being transported to a court date in Trimble County when he escaped, Louisville Metro Police said.
LMPD shared a social media post Saturday morning saying that Wolfe was arrested. A department official noted he was also accused of taking part in a kidnapping as part of his escape efforts Friday.
Here's what we know about the suspect and where the situation stands:
How was Norman Wolfe found and arrested?
Around 10:30 a.m. Saturday, LMPD's Fugitive Unit and SWAT saw Wolfe in the passenger seat of a vehicle on Washington Street, east of North Campbell Street. Officers stopped the vehicle and ordered the driver out of it before Wolfe slid into the driver's seat and fled, department spokesperson Dwight Mitchell said.
After a chase that covered about 2 miles, the vehicle became disabled near the intersection of Brownsboro Road and Lindsay Avenue. Wolfe was taken back into custody and brought to the University of Louisville Hospital for some previous injuries suffered during his Thursday escape, police said.
Wolfe is facing numerous charges related to his escape and alleged kidnapping. He will be transported to Metro Corrections when he is released from the hospital. The investigation will continue, police said.
How did Norman Wolfe get loose?
LMPD has released several statements detailing how Wolfe got loose.
Thursday morning, he was being transported from Louisville Metro Corrections to Trimble County for a court date. During the trip, he kicked out the back window of the SUV he was in and escaped near the Interstate 71 and Interstate 265 ramps in Louisville. A search began immediately, with nearby schools briefly suspending outdoor activities.
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LMPD said Wolfe took part in a kidnapping in the 8500 block of Brownsboro Road, where he is accused of forcing two people to drive him to an area near River Road and Edith Avenue. The two kidnapping victims were unharmed.
That update was sent to media outlets at about 4 p.m. Thursday. In a subsequent update just before 10 p.m., LMPD said Wolfe was still on the run.
Who is Norman Wolfe?
Wolfe faces charges in Trimble County from 2021 that include burglary, wanton endangerment and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon. He is accused in that case of stealing from a local business and firing a handgun at someone who chased him.
Prior to the transport, he was in custody in Louisville after being accused in April of taking part in a burglary attempt at a Smoketown residence, another incident in which he allegedly fled from police.
He has multiple previous convictions, including a felony conviction in Clark County, Indiana.
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Reporter Caleb Wiegandt also contributed. Reach Lucas Aulbach at laulbach@courier-journal.com.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Norman Wolfe arrested: What to know about escaped inmate in Louisville
