Pocono News Section

Plymouth Township Man On The Run After Allegedly Abducting His Ex-Girlfriend

Plymouth Township Man On The Run After Allegedly Abducting His Ex-Girlfriend - Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 5:32PM EST

Reported by: Jill Konopka
Saturday, May 17, 2008 @ 05:32pm EST
(PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP, Luzerne County) An elderly woman tells a "horrific" tale of how she saw her daughter being "kidnapped" Saturday morning.

Annabelle Blackwell spoke with WBRE News, “He tried to shove her out to the car and then he took off with her car and her in it. He yanked her hair out of her head.”

The situation started to "play out" just after 9:00 Saturday morning in Luzerne County. State police say a man, who is no stranger to the law allegedly tried to "kidnap" his ex-girlfriend in Plymouth Township.

The woman was found safe. but the suspect is still on the run tonight. State police and Firefighters swarm the Plymouth Flats area on land, by air and A. T.V.

They're searching below Route 11 for Joseph Eckrote, a man known for his criminal past involving domestic violence.

Plymouth Township Patrolman Steve Bekanich, "Apparently he's on the run in the Flats.

If you see anyone with a red jacket and jeans on the levy, call 9-1-1 and let us know, yes." State Police say Eckrote kidnapped his ex-girlfriend Cora Blackwell from her West Main Street home.

She has an active “Protection From Abuse” against him. Annabelle Blackwell is the alleged victim’s Mother, "He would've liked to have killed her. We don't need this."

Cora Blackwell's Mother is still a bit shaken. She says she and her grandson saw the whole thing, then called 9-1-1. Annabelle Blackwell told WBRE News, "He grabbed her out to the car and started roughing her up and punching her and roughing her up, he got in her car, her new car."

A State Police Chopper spotted Cora Blackwell near this tower. she wasn't harmed. But, authorities say Eckrote took off in her car, dumped it in this field and fled on foot. He hasn't been seen since. John Zaverack is a nervous neighbor, "Scared, really scared right now I have no protection here.

Plymouth township, no protection, no police no nothing." Troopers combed the wooded area, filled with ATV riders. John Stevenson is from Luzerne, “We're not allowed to ride our quads here because of it. Troopers ran into trouble, getting their police cruisers stuck in the mud. They got towed out and back to work, but still no luck finding Joseph Eckrote.

Police were still out warning members of the community, “Don’t approach him or anything, let us know. He may be on the levy or anything like that."

Anyone with any information, should call 911. Firefighters from Newport Township "helped" the search, using their "Off Road" rescue unit. They tell WBRE News" they found the suspect's "flip flop" and cell phone.