Man Wanted For Abducting Woman And Child At Random From NH Mall Arrested In Penn.

MANCHESTER, N.H. (CBS) – Police arrested a man in Pennsylvania after he allegedly abducted a woman and child at random from a New Hampshire mall and sexually assaulted the woman at a Vermont motel.

Vermont State Police say the incident began around 1 p.m. outside the Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester. Investigators say the man, later identified as 41-year-old Everett Simpson, forced the woman and child into his car and drove them to Vermont.

When Simpson reached White River Junction, he forced the woman to rent a room at a hotel.

Simpson left the hotel room after sexually assaulting the woman, police said. That is when the woman and child were able to escape and call police.

Vermont State Police say the woman is "a stranger who was targeted at random."

Police had asked the public to be on the lookout for Simpson. He was arrested Sunday night in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania.

Initial investigation shows Simpson stole a car and escaped from a substance-abuse facility in eastern Vermont three days before the abductions.

The FBI and police from New Hampshire and Vermont were all searching for Simpson. He has a previous criminal record that includes vehicle theft, a high speed pursuit, and aggravated assault on a Vermont State Police trooper.

Sunday afternoon, police outside of Philadelphia were on an unrelated traffic stop when an automated license plate recognition system identified a stolen Kia with New Hampshire plates.

A chase ensued when Simpson refused to stop for officers. The Kia was found abandoned in a nearby parking lot, and police began searching for Simpson.

About one hour later, a second vehicle was reported stolen. Upper Darby Township police found the car, started another chase, and arrested Simpson after he crashed into a telephone pole. He was taken to an area hospital for evaluation.