Fugitive prisoner who evaded police for months charged after dramatic Alice Springs arrest
The 28-year-old man, who escaped from police custody in Alice Springs on September 20, has now been found. (ABC News: Hamish Harty)
In short:
Rodney Turner, 28, has been arrested and charged by police more than 70 days after he escaped custody while receiving treatment at Alice Springs Hospital.
The alleged violent offender was found on Monday in the suburb of Braitling, where police say he tried to flee from officers before he was tasered and arrested.
What's next?
The man is now facing 15 charges, including multiple serious domestic violence charges, and is expected to face Alice Springs Local Court on Tuesday.
An allegedly violent fugitive who was on the run from police for more than 70 days has been tasered and charged in a dramatic arrest in Alice Springs.
Police say Rodney Turner was "actively avoiding police". (Supplied: NT Police)
In a statement on Tuesday, Northern Territory police said 28-year-old man Rodney Turner had absconded from police custody while receiving treatment at Alice Springs Hospital on September 20, after being arrested for alleged domestic violence offences against his partner.
Police said he had managed to evade capture since that time, saying he had "actively avoiding police and is believed to have been camping in multiple locations" across the region.
They allege he assaulted his partner multiple times during that period.
Police say the prisoner escaped from the Alice Springs Hospital, where he was receiving treatment. (ABC News: Xavier Martin)
In the statement, police said Mr Turner had been located in the Alice Springs suburb of Braitling on Monday, "where he refused to follow directions".
"[He] attempted to flee from police, resulting in a taser being deployed," a police spokesperson said.
Northern Territory police confirmed Mr Turner had since been arrested and charged with 15 offences, including seven charges of aggravated assault and one charge of escaping lawful custody.
He has also been charged with choking/strangulation, breaching pre-existing domestic violence orders, assaulting a member of the police force, making threats to kill and trespassing.
Mr Turner was remanded in custody on Tuesday and is expected to next face court in Alice Springs on January 14.