Inmate escapes Monday morning in Texas County transport van

Authorities converged in Texas County after an inmate with a history of attacking lawmen overpowered a transport guard Monday morning and fled in the vehicle. The search continues Tuesday morning.

Christopher Hunt, 33, escaped custody around 10:11 a.m. near Highway K and U.S. 63 south of Edgar Springs. He was last seen wearing a light green striped uniform with white shirt, according to authorities. Those clothes were later found at an abandoned home on County Road 6300. The silver van was spotted nearby.

“We know he changed clothes. That’s the last we know,” said Cody Fulkerson, public information director with Troop I of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. 

Authorities are concentrating their efforts in northern Texas County and parts of other counties. Roadblocks are in place with vehicles being checked at several locations. Officers with area law enforcement departments and Troops G and I of the patrol are involved. A helicopter is circling the area. A Troop G canine team arrived at about 1:10 p.m. By mid-afternoon, rain was falling over the search area. 

“We try to set up a perimeter, then try to block every avenue of escape off,” Fulkerson said. “Through interviews with different people who have known him and relatives, we try to track down where the suspect might be going.”

Shortly after 3 p.m. Monday, Fulkerson said the patrol helicopter had not spotted Hunt or evidence of his presence. But the K-9 unit was having some success.

“I heard before the rain moved in that they had a scent and were tracking,” he said.

The transport guard was uninjured. Fullkerson said he was unclear what led to the incident or if the vehicle was moving or stationary.

Fulkerson said the transport guard was not armed. 

“But we always assume people are armed when we’re dealing with them,” Fulkerson said. “We would ask people to consider him armed.”

Hunt was returning from a court appearance Monday morning. He entered a guilty plea and received a 20-year sentence in Phelps County Circuit Court at Rolla. Texas County Prosecutor Parke Stevens Jr. handled the case and was en route back to the county-seat when the escape occurred, he said. 

Hunt was charged in September 2016 with multiple crimes following a pursuit in Wright and Texas counties.

He was charged with two counts of tampering with a motor vehicle, three counts of assault or attempted assault of a law enforcement officer, armed criminal action and resisting arrest by fleeing, all felonies.

Hunt also was charged with first-degree robbery in Greene County in connection with a September car theft.

According to a probable cause statement from the robbery, a man drove the Chrysler 300 to the Fast N Friendly gas station on North Kansas Expressway in Springfield just before midnight on Sept. 9 when he was approached by a man with a gun.

The man with the weapon — later identified as Hunt — pointed the weapon at the victim, then got into the Chrysler 300 and drove away, according to the statement.

The car was later abandoned at a Texas County residence near Cabool after a chase and another vehicle was stolen.

The county chase ended when Hunt sprayed two state patrol officers with Mace as he was apprehended near Cabool Second Baptist Church.