The Luverne Police Department (LPD) secured a warrant Friday morning to charge a man who led them on a day-long foot chaise Thursday as a fugitive from justice.

The LPD conducted a multi-agency manhunt Thursday, searching the wooded area near Woodford Avenue and West 9th Street for Giovanni D. Hernandez, 45, wanted for warrants in Florida. Just before 9 p.m., the search ended, and the man was taken into custody.

“We secured a warrant for fugitive from justice this morning,” said Luverne Police Captain Mason. “This was based on outstanding warrants from Florida.

According to Adcock, officers conducted two rounds of searches, using tracking dogs to pursue Hernandez a white male, 5-feet-6, weighing approximately 165 pounds.

By 8 p.m., the department had called off the active search. After following a different track than Hernandez was first thought to have followed, Adcock said searchers found that the trail ended.
Then, just before 9 p.m., Hernandez returned to the residence where waiting officers took him into custody.

“We ran a second track,” Adcock said. “We lost it in the area of the bridge on South Woodford Avenue. It was unclear if he was picked up or the track had deteriorated. Then he returned to the residence and was apprehended.”

Adcock said officers arrived at the 400 block of 9th Street Thursday morning and were attempting to serve Hernandez with three warrants – felonies charges for eluding a police officer and driving while license suspended/revoked and one misdemeanor, obstruction without force – from Florida when the subject reportedly fled from the residence on foot. Hernandez is also on probation out of Florida, Adcock said.

“We attempted to make contact at the residence,” Adcock said. “We had no contact but left an unmarked unit in the area to do surveillance. The unit spotted the make subject we were looking for coming out the back door and going toward the woods.”

The unit called for assistance and LPD set up a perimeter. At the time of this publication, an active manhunt for Hernandez was in progress.

Luverne School and Crenshaw Christian Academy were placed on lock down as a safety precaution.  Luverne PD posted units at each school when students are released.

At the time of the search, residents in the area were cautioned to remain indoors until further information became available.
Adcock extended the department’s gratitude to state and local agencies who assisted with the search.

Hernandez appeared before District Judge Jon Folmar Monday. He waived extradition at his initial appearance and will be transported back to Florida to face charges there.

“We owe special thanks to the Crenshaw County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA)Highway Patrol Division, the Covington County Sheriff’s Office, the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Crenshaw County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) for their support and assistance,” Adcock said.