Fugitive Who Dove into Lehigh River Caught in S. Whitehall

A man who fled from law enforcement a week ago by jumping into the icy Lehigh River in Walnutport was captured Christmas night in South Whitehall Township, police said.

Acting on an "anonymous tip," police and bounty hunters surrounded the Trivet Diner in an effort to capture Eric Messick, according to a release from South Whitehall Township police. 

Messick, 30, was wanted in Northampton County for skipping bail on theft and related charges, according to online court records.

But when a South Whitehall Township police officer approached Messick after he got out of his car at the diner, he tried to run again, as he did last week in Walnutport. This time, he didn’t get far.

Messick ran out into Tilghman Street and onto the hood of a South Whitehall Township police car, police said. Messick was not hurt, though he did cause some damage to the car’s hood.

Police intend to charge him with criminal mischief for the hood damage, the release said.

According to online court records, Messick had his $15,000 bail revoked in Northampton County on Dec. 13. He had been charged with theft in Lehigh Township on Aug. 7.