Highway Watch aiding fugitive search

The Highway Watch program today issued a formal Be On the Lookout (BOLO) request seeking assistance from members of the trucking and law enforcement communities to assist in finding a man suspected of sexual assault/abuse of a minor child. The person in question, Russell Eugene Blessman, is considered armed and dangerous and is known to frequent truck stops, stated Highway Watch.The BOLO has been sent to more than 600,000 Highway Watch members nationwide in response to an alert created by the U.S. Marshals-Polk County Sheriff's Violent Fugitive Task Force for the Southern District of Iowa. It provides a detailed description of Blessman along with a photo and his suspected whereabouts.Highway Watch said members who come into contact with Mr. Blessman are warned against taking any action to apprehend or confront him and instead are encouraged to immediately contact law enforcement. "This BOLO is another great example of the way Highway Watch is partnering with law enforcement and homeland security agencies to keep America safe and secure," said Prasad Sharma, executive director of Highway Watch."We're happy to work with the U.S. Marshals and other law enforcement agencies and lend our assistance to the very important work they're doing."Under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Highway Watch trains transportation workers to identify and report safety and security concerns on our Nation's roads. Highway Watch participants with information about Blessman's whereabouts should contact local law enforcement or call the Highway Watch ISAC at 866-821-3444 or email [email protected].