On February 13, 2017, New York State Troopers approached a suspicious vehicle in the Town of Big Flats near the Senator William T. Smith Boat Launch. After interviews with the two occupants of the vehicle, it was determined that the operator had a suspended NY license. The passenger in the vehicle was identified as Jeffrey J. Rumsey, 39, of Campbell, New York. It was further determined that Rumsey was wanted on warrants in New York, Pennsylvania and Florida.
As Rumsey exited the vehicle, he fled the scene, on foot, toward the Chemung River. He entered the water and was last seen on a small patch of land in the middle of the river. It is believed that Rumsey reentered the water in an attempt to further evade capture. Personnel from the New York State Police and the Chemung County Sheriff’s Office searched the area for Rumsey throughout the night. The search continued Tuesday with the assistance of New York State Police Aviation, K9 and SCUBA teams and the Chemung County Sheriff’s Office. The search was suspended at dark was to resume today.
