CALICO ROCK, Ark. — Authorities are actively pursuing a former police chief who escaped from the North Central Unit prison on Sunday afternoon. Grant Hardin, 56, formerly of Gateway, was reported to have fled around 3:40 p.m., prompting a widespread search by law enforcement agencies.
Hardin is a 6-foot tall, 259-pound Caucasian male, according to an alert issued by the Arkansas Department of Corrections. He has been incarcerated at this facility since 2017, serving a 30-year sentence for first-degree murder, in addition to a sentence for rape.
In a previous court hearing in 2019, Hardin pleaded guilty to two counts of rape related to a 1997 case involving a Rogers elementary school teacher. This history has raised significant concerns following his escape from prison.
Both the Arkansas Division of Correction and the Division of Community Correction are collaborating with various local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to locate Hardin quickly. Officials are urging anyone who may have information about Hardin’s whereabouts to contact their local law enforcement agencies immediately.
Further details about the escape and ongoing investigation will be released as they become available. The situation remains dynamic and law enforcement is taking all necessary steps to ensure public safety during this time.
This escape serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by correctional facilities in maintaining security. As the investigation unfolds, authorities are focused on apprehending the fugitive.
This article was automatically written by Open AI. The people, facts, circumstances, and story may be inaccurate and any article can be requested removed, retracted, or corrected by writing an email to contact@publiclawlibrary.org.