Wanted Fugitive Gives Cops Better Photo Than His Mugshot — ‘That One Is Terrible’

Pictures of a wanted fugitive have gone viral this week after the criminal decided he hated his mugshot so much that he should send the police a better photo.

According to the Huffington Post, 45-year-old Donald “Chip” Pugh from Lima, Ohio, is wanted by the law for failing to appear in court and on suspicion of arson and vandalism. After seeing the mugshot photo the police circulated in the hopes of catching him, Donald Pugh decided to send in a better photo of himself because the mugshot was “terrible.”

You can see the Facebook post shared by the Lima Police Department below.

“This photo was sent to us by Mr. Pugh himself. We thank him for being helpful, but now we would appreciate it if he would come speak to us at the LPD about his charges.”

While the authorities were appreciative of Donald Pugh for sending an extra picture of himself, they still posted two less flattering images of the fugitive, including the original mugshot that Donald Pugh disapproved of.

“There is an active warrant for the arrest of Donald A ‘Chip’ Pugh, age 45 of Lima, for Failure to Appear,” says the post. “Mr. Pugh is also currently a person of interest in several other cases including an arson and vandalism. If you know the whereabouts of Donald Pugh, please contact the Lima Police Department, the Allen County S.O. or the Shawnee Twp Police Department.”

As of Monday, January 11, Donald Pugh is still on the run from the police. But the LPD claims his decision to share an updated “wanted” photo will only aid them in their search, according to local news.

“He’s drawing more attention to himself, which is going to make it easier for us to locate him, because the more attention that this post garners, the more people are going to see it, the more tips are going to come in about this guy. So our hope at this point is that he will come to his senses and turn himself in and stop making this worse for himself.”

But despite remaining hidden, Donald Pugh is still actively connecting with the public. He gave a radio interview, according to LimaOhio.com, and revealed that he considers himself something of a “hometown hero.”

“Man, they just did me wrong. They put a picture that made me look like I was a Thundercat or something.”

Donald Pugh claimed he was “too cheerful” in the original mugshot.

Maintaining his sense of humor, Donald Pugh joked that he was giving the interview while parading around in the town square holding a sign that says “not guilty.” In reality, the fugitive claimed he’s already left the state.

When asked why he continues to run, Donald Pugh responded, “When I was a little kid, my grandmother told me a bedtime story. My hero was this character, who used to say, ‘Run, run, fast as you can. You can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man.'”

Despite his multiple problems with the law, it does appear that Pugh is something of a local celebrity, with many Lima residents on his side.

The radio host claimed, “At the end of the day, everyone is cheering for Chip.”

A “Free Chip Pugh” Facebook page has also been started advocating for the clearing of all charges against Donald Pugh.

What do you think? Should Donald Pugh turn himself in? Was it a bad idea to provide the police with an improved photo?

[Image via the Lima Police Department/Facebook]