BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – A Binghamton man was taken into custody this morning after an extensive pursuit and manhunt ended in Tompkins County.

Christopher Borges, 30, was arrested on Wednesday on kidnapping, contempt, and other charges following an investigation into a domestic incident that resulted in an overnight search.

On Tuesday, at around 6 p.m., Broome County Sheriff’s Deputies and New York State Police were dispatched to a domestic disturbance in Whitney Point involving a man and a woman. The two reportedly left the scene in a U-Haul moving van before patrols could arrive.

While enroute to the scene, a responding deputy observed a U-Haul van that matched the reported description traveling South on New York State Route 12 in the Town of Chenango. The deputy also recognized Borges as a passenger in the van due to his pending robbery charges from City of Binghamton Police. The deputy attempted to perform a traffic stop, but the driver of the van failed to comply.

The U-Haul driver, who was later identified as 20-year-old Abigal Galusha of Endicott, accelerated South on Route 12 at a high rate of speed, driving recklessly, as she passed multiple vehicles. Two deputies and one NYS trooper perused the vehicle onto Interstate Route 81 North via Exit 6, through the Town of Barker, and then to Whitney Point at Exit 8. The van headed West on Route 79 and Galusha continued to recklessly speed through the Village Whitney Point, the Village of Lisle, and the Town of Lisle before entering Tioga County.

The chase concluded in Tompkins County when the U-Haul ran out of fuel, driving off the roadway and over an embankment until it finally came to stop in a wooded field near Route 79 and Deerfield Lane, West of Slaterville Springs.

Galusha was taken into custody at the site of the stopped U-Haul by Broome and Tompkins Sheriff’s Deputies. However, Borges fled into the surrounding wood line. Galusha was taken to Broome County Central Arraignment for multiple warrants out of the Town of Vestal Court. She was released on Wednesday.

During the investigation, it was revealed that Borges had been in possession of a pistol throughout the incident. He is alleged to have used the firearm to threaten Galusha during the initial domestic dispute, forcing her to flee from police. He also allegedly struck her in the face multiple times during the pursuit before eventually forcing her out of the driver’s seat in an attempt to evade law enforcement. Broome deputies searched the U-Haul van and located a pistol inside. The weapon was later determined to be a CO2 BB gun with characteristics similar to a real firearm.

The Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office assumed jurisdiction over the scene. With the help of New York State Police and the Broome County Sheriff’s Office, officers secured the area and attempted to locate Borges. The Ithaca-Tompkins SWAT team was activated as well, conducting a search throughout Tuesday night and into the early morning hours of Wednesday.

At around 10 a.m., a community member reported a possible sighting of Borges in a dense, swampy area near the abandoned U-Haul. Tompkins Sheriff’s Deputies located Borges and took him into custody without incident.

Following the arrest, the Broome County Sheriff’s Office assumed custody of Borges and transported him to Broome County Central Arraignment. As a result of the investigation, he was charged with:

• Kidnapping in the Second Degree, a Class B Felony
• Criminal Contempt in the First Degree, a Class E Felony
• Unlawfully Fleeing a Police Officer in the Third Degree, a Class A Misdemeanor

“Our community is extremely fortunate to have excellent neighbors and partners in law enforcement who are always ready to assist in efforts to keep our collective communities safe. Because of this teamwork, coupled with active engagement from community members, we were able to safely and successfully locate this individual and hold him accountable for his crimes. My thanks and appreciation to our Road Patrol deputies, as well as to our partners in the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, Tioga County Sheriff’s Office and Ithaca Police Department for all their hard work on this case,” said Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar.