3 inmates escape from northwest Arizona prison

PHOENIX - Officials released a photograph of a vehicle driven by a woman who they believe helped three men escape from a prison in northwest Arizona.

Helicopters and K-9 units joined the search for the men, who were discovered missing Friday evening around 9 p.m. from the Arizona State Prison in Golden Valley. The men are considered dangerous.

According to the Mohave County Sheriff's Office, two of the men, along with a female identified by Flagstaff Police as Casslyn Mae Welch, hijacked an 18-wheeler occupied by two male drivers on Interstate 40 outside Kingman.

Officials say the prisoners were armed with handguns. They say the escape vehicle appears to be a blue 1996 Chrysler Concord with a faded hood and roof with an Arizona license ABL7584. The car has not yet been located, officials say.

At approximately 5 a.m. the truck drivers were released unharmed at a Flagstaff truck stop and the men and woman fled in an unknown direction.

Truckers at the Little America Truck stop were in awe of the idea that an 18-wheeler with the drivers inside could be hijacked at gunpoint.

"Pretty dangerous, I'm not sure what I would have done in that situation," said trucker Andrew Culver. "Glad they didn't get hurt, what you are you going to do if a guy's got a gun pointed at you? I guess you're driving where he wants to go, right?"

Jana Brandborg was in the restaurant when the convicts released the truckers.

"Somebody told me don't go outside, there is a big truck at the fuel line and there's cop cars all around because there's escaped prisoners and don't go out there," she said.

Brandborg learned from ABC15 that the escapees were still on the run.

"People don't think about it but truckers take their lives into their own hands every day. Every day you don't know what's going to happen, somebody could somehow force you to stop on the highway or pull over for false reasons and boom they've got you."

Authorities say the suspects have apparently split up and are still on the loose.

Officials identified the three men as Tracy Province, 42, who was serving a life sentence for murder and robbery; Daniel Renwick, 36, serving 22 years for second-degree murder; and John McCluskey, 45, serving 15 years for second-degree murder, aggravated assault and discharge of a firearm.

Department of Corrections spokesman Barrett Marson said the truck drivers were lucky to have gotten away unscathed.

"I mean, they've been convicted of murder and they're escaping from prison," Marson said, referring to the escapees.

DOC Deputy Director Charles Flanagan said the men have family members throughout Arizona and they have been contacted by authorities.

Province was last seen wearing dark blue jeans, a dark purple polo shirt with red stripes, and white tennis shoes. McCluskey was wearing light-color blue jeans, a white button-up shirt with horizontal and vertical blue stripes, and white tennis shoes. There was no information about Renwick's clothing.

Anyone with information on the escaped prisoners should not approach them but call police immediately.