WEC escapee recaptured

FREMONT-BENNINGTON, Neb. — The prisoner who escaped from the work ethic camp in McCook Thursday evening has been apprehended, along with three others, and all are in jail in Bennington following a pursuit Friday afternoon by Nebraska State Patrol troopers.

Law enforcement officers in Nebraska and Iowa were on the lookout for 20-year-old Christian Reinke, who crawled over a fence on the east side of the work camp and ran at 8:18 p.m., Thursday. He was serving burglary and theft charges at the work camp.

McCook police personnel, Red Willow and Frontier county sheriff's officers and the Nebraska State Patrol were notified and involved in the original search. It continued and expanded throughout the morning Friday. It was believed that Reinke was armed with more than one weapon.

Red Willow County Sheriff Alan Kotschwar said mid-afternoon Friday that Reinke was spotted in eastern Nebraska in a black SUV reported stolen from the Farnam area, and after pursuing it, Patrol troopers took Reinke and three others into custody.

According to a news release from the Nebraska State Patrol public relations director late Friday afternoon, Reinke had traveled from McCook to the Omaha area since his escape in McCook Thursday evening. About 1:20 p.m. Friday, a trooper spotted Reinke driving a black 1998 Chevrolet Suburban reported as stolen.

The vehicle pulled into the parking lot at Bennington High School, which prompted school officials to lock down the facility. As additional NSP units and aerial support were enroute to the scene, the vehicle left the school parking lot and began traveling down Benningtton Road. Officers from the Bennington Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff's Office and the Omaha Police Department also began to arrive at the scene.

The felony traffic stop was performed near 144th and Bennington Road.

Reinke was arrested for possession of a stolen vehicle. Three other occupants, a man and two women, were taken into custody.

After leaving the work camp, Reinke had run rtheast and it appears he stole a white Ford diesel pickup from a barn about two miles north of the work camp on County Road 719, changed clothes and took a shotgun. It's believed he then took the black SUV and more guns from the Farnam area.

Sheriff Kotschwar said that Iowa law enforcement had been alerted because of reports that Reinke was making phone calls to an ex-girlfriend.

Reinke faces charges of escape, car theft and gun violations in Red Willow County. Kotschwar said his office will obtain an arrest warrant from county attorney Paul Wood and Reinke will be transported back to McCook by a prisoner transport service. Kotschwar said, however, that if Reinke is deemed to be a high risk because of combative/assaultive behavior, two Red Willow County deputies will be sent to transport him.

Reinke will most likely also face charges for the theft of the black SUV and guns from the Farnam area, and whatever other charges in eastern Nebraska.

There were no injuries throughout the incident.

Chief Dep. Joe Koetter said the sheriff's department greatly appreciates the help of the public during the search for Reinke. Deputies followed up on all the calls, Koetter said, including one Friday morning west of McCook during which a male was arrested on warrants out of Colorado.