Two Fugitives Arrested After Intensive Manhunts In Solebury

Two wanted men were arrested after manhunts that involved multiple law enforcement agencies on Wednesday in Solebury Township.

The incident began at around 9:45 a.m. when Officer Gina Ferzetti was conducting traffic enforcement near Lower York Road (Route 202) and West Bridge Street. While in her patrol vehicle, she spotted an older-model Ford pick-up truck with an expired Pennsylvania registration. Upon closer inspection, she discovered that the vehicle’s registered owner had multiple outstanding arrest warrants, according to township police.

Ferzetti decided to initiate a traffic stop on the truck, but before she could do so, the vehicle abruptly turned into the north entrance/exit of the Logan Square Shopping Center, causing her to lose sight of it, police said.

Soon after, the officer located the unoccupied truck in the rear section of the shopping center, but the male driver and passenger were not with the truck, police said.

Ferzetti began searching the shopping center’s and eventually found the male passenger walking near Village Row, police said.

While in custody, the passenger was identified as Michael C. Settle, 35, of Philadelphia. He was found to have an active arrest warrant from the Bucks County Sheriffs Office for burglary, police said.

The driver of the truck made off on foot and evaded a search by Solebury Township and Buckingham Township officers. The search also included a K-9 unit from the Middletown Township Police Department.

At 1 p.m., Ferzetti noticed a man walking along the northbound shoulder of Lower York Road near Fox Run Estates. The man appeared to be the driver who fled hours earlier, police said.

The officer again attempted to stop the man, but sprinted across the road and towards Fox Tail Court, police said.

A vigilant passing motorist alerted the officers that the suspect had run into the nearby woods, police said.

Police began a large ground search with Solebury Township and Buckingham Township officers again returning. The Middletown Township K-9 unit was again called out to assist.

At approximately 2:15 p.m., Officer Anthony Viruet-Melendez managed to locate and apprehend Michael J. Garrison, 44, of Bristol Township’s Croydon section, who had active arrest warrants for burglary, theft, and related charges from the U.S. Marshal’s Service; Philadelphia; Montgomery Township, Montgomery County; and Burlington County, New Jersey.

Settle and Garrison were remanded to the Bucks County Correctional Facility in Doylestown Township after being arrested.

Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.