Little Rock, AR – Arkansas State Police launched a statewide search Tuesday after an inmate assigned to the Benton Work Release Unit was reported missing from a job site in Pulaski County earlier in the day.
According to the Arkansas Department of Corrections, the inmate—identified in the agency’s bulletin as Wayne Schutz, #180381—failed to return from his work release assignment at Prospect Steel at the Port of Little Rock on Tuesday, November 18. Authorities say he was last accounted for earlier in the afternoon before disappearing from the site.
Corrections officials stated that Schutz is serving an eight-year sentence for breaking and entering out of Faulkner County. Investigators believe he may be traveling in a white 2015 Dodge pickup truck with Arkansas license plate 1DYXN, though they caution that the truck’s current whereabouts are unknown.
The inmate is described by the Department of Corrections as a 25-year-old white male, standing 6 feet tall and weighing approximately 213 pounds, with sandy hair and hazel eyes. He had been housed at the Benton Work Release Unit prior to his disappearance.
Authorities are urging anyone who may have seen the vehicle or has information about Schutz’s possible location to contact local law enforcement immediately. Arkansas State Police, the Division of Correction, and the Division of Community Correction are coordinating with local, state, and federal partners as the search continues across Central Arkansas.
Residents in Pulaski County, Saline County, and the broader Central Arkansas region are encouraged to remain aware of their surroundings and report any sightings connected to the vehicle or the escape alert.
Have you seen increased police activity near the Port of Little Rock today?
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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