Man accused of stealing Lucky the dog from 87-year-old Pennsylvania man arrested in North Carolina
NASHVILLE, N.C. (KDKA) — Kenneth Crider, the man accused of stealing a car from 87-year-old Willard Martz with his dog Lucky inside, was arrested in North Carolina over the weekend.
According to Captain Robert Bowen with the Nash County Sheriff's Office, Crider was apprehended by detectives after leading authorities on a chase on Saturday.
Lucky was not found in the vehicle on Saturday, officials said. Detectives say the 43-year-old Crider told them he let Lucky go "at an unknown rest stop between Myrtle Beach and Nash County." That is about 500 miles from Lucky's home in Westmoreland County.
"It's like a big empty hole, and (Lucky) filled it, and it's getting deeper and emptier every day," Martz told KDKA-TV on Sunday.
Detectives first encountered Crider on Saturday along Octavia Drive in Dortches, North Carolina. Crider allegedly fled down Interstate 95 at speeds of more than 100 miles per hour during the chase, according to Captain Bowen.
Police were able to stop Crider after executing a PIT maneuver. He now faces several charges, including reckless driving, felony hit and run and assault with a deadly weapon.
The search for Lucky
The search has continued for Lucky after Martz, who was at Tractor Supply in East Huntingdon on Sept. 23, had his keys stolen from his pants pocket. Investigators said the suspect hopped into Martz's car and drove off with the 10-year-old Airedale-terrier mix still inside the vehicle.
Pennsylvania State Police later released photos of Crider from surveillance video at the Walmart in Dunbar Township showing Crider pulling into a parking space about an hour after the incident and taking Lucky out of the car to go to the bathroom. Crider went into Walmart before driving off again in Martz's car.
The family says Lucky wears a black collar and a flea collar, which are tied together with a zip tie. They're offering a $500 reward for his return.
Word is now spreading about Lucky. A Facebook group mostly of truckers exists solely to find missing pets, and they are working to find Lucky while on the road. Lucky does have a microchip, his family said.
Anyone with information can contact the Pennsylvania State Police.