Police are searching for a 2004 gray BMW 330 CI after a prisoner escaped near the Hickory courthouse led police and K-9 units on a manhunt through downtown Hickory and into the Kenworth neighborhood on Wednesday.

The manhunt started about 8:15 a.m. when Joseph Preston Salser, 42, of Maiden managed to remove his leg shackles during transport to the Hickory courthouse where he was due to appear on charges of felony larceny and failure to appear (in court), Maj. Coy Reid with the Catawba County Sheriff’s Department, said.  Police do not know how Salser escaped his shackles.

Salser is described as a white male about 5 feet 11inches and 190 pounds.  He has hazel eyes, brown hair and medium skin tone. Reid said he is not considered dangerous.

The prisoner escaped by pulling out a panel in the door and forcing the bar that controls the door functions up, which opened the door while the transport vehicle was sitting at a traffic light.  Salser then jumped out of the vehicle and took off running toward Lenoir-Rhyne Boulevard, Reid said.  

There were three other inmates in the vehicle, which prevented two deputies from chasing after him, he said because they were required to stay with inmates, he said. The other inmates did not make any attempts at escape because they remained shackled.

After no sightings of Salser all day, police were informed that a gray BMW was stolen from Rollin Motors on U.S. 70 about 4:30 p.m. by a man matching the Salser’s description.

The suspect drove off after telling clerks he wanted to try to car out, according to Libby Grigg, said administrative assistant at the Hickory Police Department.  The car has no tag.

The vehicle was last seen headed west on U.S. 70 by employees at the car dealership, Reid said.  Salser was last seen wearing an orange T-shirt and dark baggy pants.

Reid said they sent Salser’s description and vehicle information to law enforcement agencies within a 50-mile radius of where he was last seen.

The Catawba County Sheriff’s Department and Hickory Police Department began canvassing the area where he jumped from the transport vehicle immediately with two K-9 units from both departments and about 20-30 police officers, Reid said.  The Sheriff’s Department brought in two additional K-9s from Iredell County Sheriff’s Department, including a bloodhound and a German Shepard.

Police established a perimeter from L-R Boulevard to U.S. 70 and South Center Street to Seventh Street SE with police vehicles on nearly every corner.  The bloodhound led police to the Walden House near Third Avenue SE in the Kenworth neighborhood and soon lost the scent.  Sgt. Travis Ward with the Iredell Police Department who handled the bloodhound, Duke, was confident Salser had been there based on how the dog appeared to track the scent.

When he’s caught, Salser will face misdemeanor escape charges, Reid said.  Other charges will depend on where he is found, he said.

He has previously been charged with possession of burglary tools, breaking and entering, felony possession of controlled substance include cocaine and resisting an officer.

Salser was in jail under a $30,000 bond.