LITTLE ROCK — A murder suspect being transported by a private extradition company overpowered and stabbed a guard this morning before stealing and fleeing in the van he had been secured inside.
Authorities believe Justin Patrick Welch, 26, may now be in the Little Rock area.
It happened about 2:45 a.m. at an Interstate 40 rest stop in Van Buren about a mile-and-a-half from the Oklahoma border.
Van Buren Police Department Lt. Brent Grill said the North Atlantic Extradition van had stopped to allow Welch and four other inmates to use the restroom. While inside, Welch stabbed the guard in the hand with a screwdriver-like tool, beat him and then took his gun, Grill said.
Outside, Welch confronted a second guard - who was unarmed. A struggle ensued, during which Welch fired multiple shots at the guard. He was not hit.
Welch then stole the transport van and drove east on Interstate 40, Grill said.
Welch was being transported to Wisconsin to face murder charges in a 2009 case. Grill said he is accused of stabbing a woman to death in Waukesha County in a plot that also involved the woman's ex-boyfriend, who wanted custody of the couple's 4-year-old son.
Anyone with information on Welch's whereabouts is asked to call police and not to intervene.
"This individual is facing murder charges and is now facing possible attempted murder and escape charges as well," Grill said. "He's not going to be thinking right. His goal is to get away at all costs, so he's extremely dangerous."
The guard who was stabbed was treated and released from an area hospital. The other four inmates did not try and escape and were later picked up by another transport van.
Welch, who is from California, is described as a white man about 5-foot-8 and weighing 190 pounds. He has short, blond hair and green eyes. He may still have leg irons on, Grill said.
The vehicle is described as a 2007 white Dodge van with the letters "NAES" and the name "North Atlantic Extradition" on the side. It has Mississippi tags.
Reached by phone this morning, North Atlantic Extradition Vice President Jim Bell said he had no information on what occurred.