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Fugitive with sick mom spotted at racetrack in singer's tour bus
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- A fugitive who apparently fled home to Tennessee to see his terminally ill mother was being sought Friday in Florida in the theft of country singer Crystal Gayle's tour bus.
A man believed to be Christopher Daniel Gay was seen at USA International Speedway in Lakeland, Fla., Thursday where Nashville police said he told the manager he was there to pick up a NASCAR driver.
Speedway officials became suspicious because the man's unkempt appearance didn't fit with the tour bus he was driving.
"He told individuals at the race track he was there to pick up Tony Stewart, which again highlighted their suspicions," said Capt. Richard Foley of the Metro Nashville Police Department. "He stated that he was leaving the race track to go to McDonald's to get a hamburger and he has yet to be seen."
Gay was still at large Friday morning.
Speedway officials reported their suspicions to police, and it was discovered the bus belonged to the country singer. After speedway officials called Gayle's publicist, the singer realized the bus was missing from a Nashville garage where it was parked and reported the theft Thursday night.
Gay, who has a history of theft involving trucks and other heavy equipment, has eluded capture since he escaped from a prisoner transport van Sunday night near Hardeeville, S.C.
Police say that since then he has stolen a truck in South Carolina and made his way more than 300 miles northwest to Manchester, Tenn., where he stole a Wal-Mart tractor-trailer rig filled with merchandise.
Police speculate that he was trying to get back Tennessee because his mother, who is dying of cancer, lives about 25 miles northwest of Nashville near Pleasant View.
"He was trying to get home to see his mom, that's what I believe." Police Chief Michael Douglas has said.
When police spotted Gay in the Wal-Mart truck Tuesday and gave chase, he drove the truck into a field about 50 yards from his mother's house and abandoned it, fleeing into some woods.
He wasn't reported seen again until Thursday in Florida.
Gay was being transported from Georgetown, Texas, to Pell City, Ala., on escape and felony charges when he got away from the prisoner van, which was carrying 10 other prisoners to other locations in the Southeast.
Gayle's bus hadn't been recovered as of Thursday night, Foley said.
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- A fugitive who apparently fled home to Tennessee to see his terminally ill mother was being sought Friday in Florida in the theft of country singer Crystal Gayle's tour bus.
A man believed to be Christopher Daniel Gay was seen at USA International Speedway in Lakeland, Fla., Thursday where Nashville police said he told the manager he was there to pick up a NASCAR driver.
Speedway officials became suspicious because the man's unkempt appearance didn't fit with the tour bus he was driving.
"He told individuals at the race track he was there to pick up Tony Stewart, which again highlighted their suspicions," said Capt. Richard Foley of the Metro Nashville Police Department. "He stated that he was leaving the race track to go to McDonald's to get a hamburger and he has yet to be seen."
Gay was still at large Friday morning.
Speedway officials reported their suspicions to police, and it was discovered the bus belonged to the country singer. After speedway officials called Gayle's publicist, the singer realized the bus was missing from a Nashville garage where it was parked and reported the theft Thursday night.
Gay, who has a history of theft involving trucks and other heavy equipment, has eluded capture since he escaped from a prisoner transport van Sunday night near Hardeeville, S.C.
Police say that since then he has stolen a truck in South Carolina and made his way more than 300 miles northwest to Manchester, Tenn., where he stole a Wal-Mart tractor-trailer rig filled with merchandise.
Police speculate that he was trying to get back Tennessee because his mother, who is dying of cancer, lives about 25 miles northwest of Nashville near Pleasant View.
"He was trying to get home to see his mom, that's what I believe." Police Chief Michael Douglas has said.
When police spotted Gay in the Wal-Mart truck Tuesday and gave chase, he drove the truck into a field about 50 yards from his mother's house and abandoned it, fleeing into some woods.
He wasn't reported seen again until Thursday in Florida.
Gay was being transported from Georgetown, Texas, to Pell City, Ala., on escape and felony charges when he got away from the prisoner van, which was carrying 10 other prisoners to other locations in the Southeast.
Gayle's bus hadn't been recovered as of Thursday night, Foley said.
