Handcuffed man who ran from patrol troopers arrested

A man who escaped from Highway Patrol troopers on Wednesday while his hands were cuffed behind his back is now in custody.

Matthew Collins was charged with giving false information to police and a seat belt violation in connection with the incident, Senior Trooper Bridget Wyant said.

A trooper stopped a car on Interstate 26 near the College Park Road rest area because the driver and passenger were not wearing seat belts, Wyant said.

The passenger started acting suspiciously and the trooper cuffed him to run a check to see if there was warrant out for him. The man ran away with his hands cuffed behind his back.

Berkeley and Charleston county deputies helped search the area, and brought in dogs and a helicopter.

Highway Patrol later received a tip from sheriff’s deputies that Collins was at his home in Ladson, Wyant said.

Collins was arrested Wednesday night and held at the Berkeley County jail, Wyant said.

Charleston police will serve Collins with a warrant today for use of a vehicle without the owner’s consent, police spokesman Charles Fancis said.

On Nov. 6, a woman told Charleston police that Collins stole her vehicle, cell phone, laptop and debit card while he was staying at her apartment.

The woman’s debit card was used at an Exxon gas station and to purchase a bus ticket to Dallas, Texas, an incident report states.

Check back with postandcourier.com as more details become available.

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