NEED TO KNOW
James Myers was arrested while he was allegedly fleeing from officers in connection with charges stemming from a March incident
Rosario was found hiding in a closet in a bedroom inside a Florida residence
Rosario has been charged with resisting a police officer
Authorities in Florida arrested two people while searching for an alleged fugitive who was ultimately found hiding inside an air conditioner vent.
James Myers, 33, was arrested from a Bunnell, Fla., residence on Monday, June 8, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
Officers also arrested 36-year-old Joanne Rosario, who was allegedly hiding inside a closet.
Myers and his girlfriend, Rosario, were suspected of stealing crab legs from a Winn-Dixie store in Palm Coast, Fla. on Thursday, June 4, according to Myers’ charging affidavit obtained by PEOPLE.
Following the alleged theft, officers located the couple inside a residence associated with the vehicle caught in security footage at Winn-Dixie, the affidavit stated. The registered owner of the vehicle would later confirm Myers and Rosario as the people seen in still images from the Winn-Dixie.
While inside the residence, police found Rosario allegedly hiding inside a cabinet in a bedroom.
As they continued the search, police found Myers allegedly “wedged inside the air conditioner’s air handler, folded up behind the ductwork,” the sheriff’s office said in its statement.
Joann Rosario (left); and a man alleged to be James Myers hiding inside an air conditioner vent.
Credit: Flagler County Sheriff’s Office
“James Myers’ favorite game is hide-and-seek,” the sheriff’s office said, referencing a prior incident in which a K-9 located him beneath a house.
“It’s a tough game to win when the other team shows up with an armored truck, a dog with a nose for nonsense, and a drone hovering overhead,” the sheriff’s office said while announcing Myers’ arrest.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
At the time of his arrest, Myers was a fugitive allegedly fleeing charges of grand theft, fleeing and eluding, driving while his license was suspended, super-speeding and resisting in connection with a March incident, the sheriff’s office said in its statement. He has now been charged with petit theft in connection with the incident last week.
Online court records show Rosario was charged with resisting a police officer.
Neither of their records indicate plea information or court dates. It wasn’t immediately clear if either defendant denied the accusations.
Read the original article on People