A 23-year-old fugitive, Ethan Middleton, was arrested Tuesday evening along the New York State Thruway after a license plate reader alert helped authorities track him down.
According to the New York State Police, troopers received the alert around 6 p.m. for a vehicle connected to a wanted individual. Officers from Canandaigua quickly located the car at a 7-Eleven near the Geneva Thruway exit and took Middleton into custody without incident.
While making the arrest, troopers reported spotting two loaded firearms in plain view inside the vehicle, including a sawed-off 12-gauge shotgun and a Ruger 9mm AR-style pistol equipped with a 32-round magazine. Both weapons were secured at the scene.
Authorities say Middleton is wanted by the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office on charges that include attempted second-degree murder, illegal use of a weapon, and aggravated assault with a firearm.
In New York, Middleton now faces additional charges, including criminal possession of a weapon and driving while intoxicated.
He is currently being held at the Ontario County Jail on the New York charges and as a fugitive from justice, pending extradition to Louisiana. Investigators have also secured the vehicle as they seek a search warrant as part of the ongoing case.
