Returning home around noon Tuesday, Roger Luther drove up Colesville Road in Kirkwood to meet a swarm of law enforcement vehicles. A helicopter was flying overhead.

As he quickly learned from area news outlets, New York State Police were in the midst of a manhunt for a suspect who allegedly fled the scene of an 9:45 a.m. crash on Interstate 81. The suspect had been driving a stolen 2016 Audi from Florida.

New York State Police arrested the suspect: John Mehne, 25, a resident Sarasota in Florida who has Ithaca-area ties. He's was charged with felony counts of first-degree robbery, third-degree criminal possession of stolen property, first-degree burglary and aggravated cruelty to animals. He's being held in the Broome County jail.

More charges are being considered and state police are still investigating.

Luther, who is Broome County's historian, recalled Wednesday how police had alerted area residents to stay inside while the suspect was on the loose. In response to their warning, after arriving home on Springer Road, he closed the garage door and locked up the house.

That's when his wife looked out a window. A man, seemingly covered in mud and unclothed, walked into view.

Luther called 911 and peeked outside another window of his home.

"The guy's in my chicken coop, he's totally naked and covered with mud, and he's chasing my chickens," Luther told the Press & Sun-Bulletin/pressconnects on Wednesday. "When I saw him in the chicken coop, I was just shaken."

Luther said the suspect had been crouched down. It looked like he was trying to catch the chickens.

The coop housed seven chickens, but after Tuesday's incident, one remained unaccounted for — a trail of feathers led from the coop toward a neighboring residence.

The manhunt in Kirkwood

Broome County Sheriff's deputies and the Binghamton Police Department assisted state troopers during Tuesday's search. A K-9 unit also was employed to track down the suspect.

The search effort encompassed the areas of Duell, Colesville and Springer roads.

New York State Police said Mehne crashed on I-81 North about three miles north of the Pennsylvania line. The Audi became disabled after hitting a guiderail.

When traffic slowed, Mehne allegedly jumped on a van then onto a pickup truck for about 1½ miles before fleeing into a wooded area on foot.

After 4 p.m., authorities got a call from a Duell Road resident: Mehne had allegedly been killing that resident's chickens, and threatened the person with an axe. Then, he allegedly stole the Duell Road resident's ATV.

Police said another nearby residence was burglarized and Mehne allegedly killed a family dog inside. Also, a Springer Road property was damaged.

Catching the suspect

While Luther was on the phone with a 911 dispatcher, police vehicles converged on his property.

The suspect ran from the chicken coop, toward another wooded area across from Springer Road. A neighbor told police where to look.

Within 20 minutes, Luther recalled, the suspect had been caught. It was shortly before 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Mehne was treated at Binghamton General Hospital for a dog bite, before being arraigned on the criminal charges.

Investigators are asking anyone who had damage to their property in the area or if they find any property or clothing in the area to call 607-775-1241.

Luther praised the work of law enforcement officials who responded to the incident. He said, "This could've been so much worse."

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