ONLY ONLINE: Williamsburg police catch two fugitives after five-hour chase Tuesday

After a five-hour search Tuesday afternoon, ‘Frog’ and ‘Shorty’ finally emerged from the woods and surrendered to Williamsburg police.

Williamsburg Public Affairs Officer Shawn Jackson said that Ernest Lee Nichols, who is better known as "Frog" in the Brush Arbor area, and Roger Steeley Duncan, who is better known as "Shorty," both surrendered to several waiting police officers in the parking lot behind Brashear’s Grocery about 4:40 p.m.

Nichols, 31, was arrested and charged with three failure to appear warrants. Jackson said one of the warrants was for being an out of state fugitive.

Duncan, 28, was charged with contempt of court.

Jackson said that police had been looking for Nichols trying to arrest him on the outstanding warrants since Sunday evening.
Officer Brandon White went to Green’s Apartments looking for him, and Nichols jumped down a whole flight of stairs during his getaway.

Jackson said that he went to Brush Arbor Apartment 281 about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday trying to get a lead on Nichols whereabouts, but that Nichols and Duncan fled out of the back of the apartment into the woods when he arrived.

Jackson said that he didn’t think Nichols would be there, nor did he know that Duncan had an outstanding warrant for his arrest either.

Jackson immediately called for assistance from K-9 Officer Brandon Prewitt and his K-9 partner, Rico, when he learned that Nichols had run into the woods.

Despite Rico’s efforts, police were unable to locate Nichols or Duncan for several hours.

Jackson said that he learned a couple of hours later from witnesses that Duncan had also run into the woods with Nichols.

Police were apparently only minutes behind the two men several times Tuesday, according to witnesses. Jackson said that several officers were in the parking lot of Brashear’s Grocery preparing to continue the search when both men emerged from the woods behind the store cold and wet.

"They both just put their hands in the air and gave up," Jackson said.

Both were arrested without incident, and lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center.

Jackson said that White plans to pursue fleeing or evading charges against Nichols for the Sunday night incident.

It is unlikely that either Nichols or Duncan will be charged in connection with Tuesday’s search since Jackson didn’t actually see them flee the apartment where Duncan lived, Jackson noted.

Other officers taking part in the investigation Tuesday included: Chief Wayne Bird, Prewitt, Detective Bobby Freeman and Officer Jim Pool.