Ohio Amber Alert: Zanesville man arrested in infant, toddler abduction
WASHINGTON, Pa. (WCMH) -- A man faces charges in two states after being found in western Pennsylvania with two abducted children from Zanesville, whose disappearances prompted a statewide Amber Alert Thursday evening.
According to Zanesville police, someone identified a 2008 Chevrolet Suburban driving near Washington, Pennsylvania, about 7:55 p.m., some 100 miles from Zanesville. Pennsylvania State Police found and stopped the vehicle, where they discovered the missing 1-year-old and 3-year-old.
Thomas Pritchard, 46, of Zanesville, was taken into custody and later interviewed by Zanesville detectives. He is held in Washington County Jail in Pennsylvania without bail and has been charged in both Pennsylvania and Ohio. By crossing state lines, he may also face federal charges.
Zanesville police have charged Pritchard with two counts of kidnapping and one count of grand theft auto, both felonies.
In Pennsylvania, Pritchard faces the following charges:
- Driving under the influence of alcohol
- Endangering children
- Reckless endangerment
- Receiving stolen property
The toddler and infant were taken in an unlocked vehicle outside a gas station near 531 Main St. in Zanesville around 5:15 p.m. on Thursday. The woman who was watching over the children went into a nearby dance studio for less than ten minutes, she told NBC4. She called police when she came outside and realized the children were gone.
After being found, the children were taken to a nearby hospital and have since been reunited with their families, according to Zanesville police.