Written by: Sam Orlando
FISHERSVILLE, VIRGINIA — A manhunt near Wilson Elementary, Middle, and High Schools caused a brief but tense lockdown on Thursday afternoon, as local law enforcement pursued a suspect fleeing from an attempted arrest. The lockdown was quickly lifted after the suspect was apprehended without incident.
The Augusta County Sheriff’s Office said the incident began around noon when deputies arrived at an apartment complex on Bobby’s Way in Fishersville to serve multiple arrest warrants on 35-year-old Christopher R. Hutchinson of Staunton. Hutchinson, wanted on a felony probation violation and a separate capias warrant from Waynesboro Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, fled by jumping out of a window.
According to the sheriff’s office, the foot pursuit crossed Jefferson Highway and moved dangerously close to the Wilson school complex, which prompted school officials to place all buildings on lockdown. In addition to the three schools, the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center and the Valley Career and Technical Center also enacted lockdown procedures.
"Out of an abundance of caution, the Wilson Schools were placed on a secure while the Deputies established a perimeter and searched for Hutchinson," the Sheriff’s Office wrote in a social media post about the incident.
Deputies tracked Hutchinson to a wooded area near Truitt Lane, where he was arrested at 12:40 p.m. without further incident. The sheriff’s office reported that Hutchinson sustained an injury while fleeing and was taken to Augusta Health for treatment before being booked at Middle River Regional Jail, where he is being held without bond.
The brief lockdown, which lasted less than an hour, was lifted after Hutchinson’s capture. No students or staff were harmed, and normal operations resumed quickly. Hutchinson faces additional charges, including obstruction of justice, on top of his outstanding warrants.
The swift action of law enforcement ensured the safety of the school community, though the lockdown caused a temporary wave of concern among parents. The Sheriff's Office and school administrators have emphasized that the precautionary lockdown was handled smoothly, with no direct threat posed to those on campus.
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