A police chase ran flat Thursday morning when a sex offender on the run for three years was captured after he tried to get away from a Marshals fugitive task force on his bicycle.
Linwood Tyner Jr., 54, wanted for failing to register as a sex offender, as well as a probation violation charge, was arrested by U.S. Marshals and Norfolk fugitive detectives in Huntersville.
Earlier last week U.S. Marshals asked for the public’s help in locating multiple wanted sex offenders, one of whom was Tyner.
Marshals received numerous tips throughout the week indicating that Tyner was known to frequent the Huntersville section of Norfolk.
Thursday morning U.S. Marshals and Norfolk fugitive detectives established surveillance around Huntersville.
At approximately 8:30 a.m. surveillance units observed a man matching Tyner’s description exit a residence in the 900 block of Denhart Street, get on a bike, and start riding southbound on Tidewater Drive.
Investigators watched as he rode into a neighborhood south of East Brambleton Avenue and out of sight.
At approximately 9 a.m. the same man was spotted riding northbound on Tidewater Drive and identified as Tyner.
An arrest attempt was initiated near the intersection of Brambleton and Tidewater, but Tyner took off on his bike and initially managed to get away.
Surveillance units canvassed the area and again found Tyner riding his bicycle near Johnson Avenue and O’Keefe Street.
As Tyner was riding on Goochland Street approaching Tidewater Drive, another arrest attempt was made.
Tyner tried to outmaneuver police but popped his tire after hitting a curb. He was quickly taken into custody before he could flee on foot.
Tyner is being held at the Norfolk City Jail.
The U.S. Marshals-led fugitive task force consists of law enforcement officers from the U.S. Marshals, Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office, Newport News Police Department, Portsmouth Police Department and Norfolk Police Department.
The main objective of the task force is to seek out and arrest violent offenders with outstanding federal and state warrants.
The U.S. Marshals Service, America’s first federal law enforcement agency, arrested more than 25,000 federal fugitives, 63,000 state and local fugitives and 11,000 sex offenders in 2016.
Our investigative network and capabilities allow for the unique ability to track and apprehend any fugitive who attempts to evade police capture, anywhere in the country.
Nationally the U.S. Marshals Service fugitive programs are carried out with local law enforcement in 94 district offices, 85 local fugitive task forces, seven regional task forces, and a growing network of offices in foreign countries
The U.S. Marshals Service is the nation’s primary fugitive hunting organization and captures more federal fugitives each year than all other law enforcement agencies combined.
Annually, U.S. Marshals arrest more than 50 percent of all federal fugitives and serve more federal warrants than all other federal agencies combined.
Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found at http://www.usmarshals.gov.
America’s Oldest Federal Law Enforcement Agency
