July 31, 2010

PHOENIX - Prison officials say three inmates have escaped from a northwest Arizona prison.

Helicopters and K-9 units joined the search for the men, who were discovered missing Friday evening around 9:30 p.m. from the Arizona State Prison in Golden Valley. The men are considered dangerous.

According to the Mohave County Sheriff's Office, two of the men, along with a female identified by Flagstaff Police as Casslyn Mae Welch, hijacked an 18-wheeler occupied by two male drivers on Interstate 40 outside Kingman.

Officials say the prisoners were armed with handguns.

At approximately 5 a.m. the truck drivers were released at a Flagstaff truck stop and the men and woman fled in an unknown direction.

Authorities say the suspects have apparently split up and are still on the loose.

The missing prisoners are:

-- Tracy Province, who was serving a life sentence for murder and robbery;
-- Daniel Renwick, who was serving 22 years for second-degree murder; and
-- John McClusky, who was serving 15 years for second-degree murder, aggravated assault and discharge of a firearm.

Anyone with information on the escaped prisoners should not approach them but call police immediately. They were last seen wearing orange prison jumpsuits.