By Kristine Snodgrass, Staff Writer
MONTGOMERY — A convict who escaped from a minimum-security work detail at Skillman Dairy Farm was seen three times on the night of his escape, first at an auto body shop on Route 518 near Opossum Road, police said.
Marc Harris, 22, of Pleasantville, escaped from the farm on Burnt Hill Road near Montgomery High School around 9:45 a.m. yesterday. Jailed on a drug distribution charge, Mr. Harris is described a 22-year-old black man, 5 feet, 6 inches tall, and about 200 pounds. He was to be eligible for parole in May.
Police did not received reports of sightings until about 8:15 p.m. Tuesday, when a caller from the auto body shop said somebody was lying inside one of their vehicles. By the time police arrived, the person had fled, but the vehicle had damage consistent with an attempt to steal it, Montgomery Police Lt. James Curry said.
A few minutes later, police received a call reporting a sighting of a man who matched Mr. Harris’ description just a few hundred yards away. A black male in work boots, long johns and a thermal shirt was seen running through a professional office park on Route 518, a quarter mile east of the auto body shop, Lt. Curry said.
As he fled, Mr. Harris had shed his fluorescent orange Department of Corrections sweatshirt, pants and boots. He was left wearing a thermal shirt and long johns.
Police then received another phone call from a resident on Route 518 reporting that his work boots were missing from outside his porch. Police believe Mr. Harris stole them.
Montgomery police then contacted the state Department of Corrections, who had terminated their command post at 7 p.m., Lt. Curry said. Township police had continued the search.
A canine unit returned to search the area, but Mr. Harris was not located. A search earlier in the day had traced his scent as he fled south from the farm to the vicinity of Route 518 and Burnt Hill Road, where it was lost.
Around 11 a.m., another sighting of Mr. Harris in the same area was called into police. Although the description wasn’t as vivid as previous reports, it still matched, Lt. Curry said.
The canine search was called off at about 1 a.m. Both Department of Corrections and township police officers continued the search through the night.
A heightened sense of security continued today in Montgomery Schools, where extra patrol officers were provided for school arrival and dismissal. School has continued as normal, but doors and other perimeters were kept secure, and outside activities were curtailed, Lt. Curry said.

