The story has gone viral on social media because it's so unusual. In the United States, a man wanted by the police contacted investigators himself to send them… a new photo of himself. The reason? The photo used in the wanted poster issued by law enforcement. The man, Donald A. "Chip" Pugh, felt that the photo didn't flatter him at all. So he sent a selfie accompanied by a straightforward message: "Here's a better photo. The other one is awful."
A man wanted for failing to appear in court
At the time of the incident, Donald Pugh was wanted on an arrest warrant for failing to appear in court for a drunk driving case. Investigators were also searching for him in connection with other investigations. In an effort to locate him, the Lima, Ohio, police department posted his mugshot on social media to appeal to the public for help.
The police respond with humor
Rather than ignore the message, the police chose to play along. Investigators published the selfie they received, ironically thanking the fugitive for his help, before reminding him that they would much prefer he come forward to answer the charges against him. This humorous response largely contributed to the case going viral online.
A flight that didn't last.
Despite this story becoming famous on social media, Donald Pugh didn't evade the authorities for long. A few days later, he was finally located and arrested in Florida, putting an end to his flight.
