Police continued their search into the evening for a boy who escaped from the Prince William County Juvenile Detention Center on Tuesday.
The 17-year-old fugitive left the facility, located off Va. 234 near Independent Hill, about 3 p.m. The boy was previously arrested and brought to the center on assault-related charges, said Prince William police spokeswoman Erika Hernandez.
The teenager, who is from the Manassas area, was not considered to be armed or dangerous, said Hernandez.
But police K-9 units fanned out across the area and a Fairfax County police helicopter was also called in to search for the boy. Much of the search perimeter focused around the area of the detention center.
Initial reports indicate the boy was later spotted by neighbors and police in the area of Alps and Conway drives. Police chased him through an area of power lines but were unable to catch him.
One unconfirmed report indicted that a police officer drew their weapon on the teen and told him to stop running. But the teenager continued running, this time into the woods and eluded the officer.
K-9 units also focused their attention in the area of Van Doren Road, near Dale City.
As the sun set just after 8 p.m., police continued their search at the Prince William County Sanitary Landfill, near the detention center, but there was no sign of the teenager.
The boy was described as Hispanic with black hair, brown eyes, 5 feet 5 inches tall, 120 pounds, and was wearing a white T-shirt, tan shorts and black sneakers.
Staff writer Uriah A. Kiser can be reached at 703-878-8065.
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