Fugitive Ex-Deputy 'Very Desperate,' On The Run: Sheriff

PLAINFIELD, IL — A manhunt continued into the night Wednesday for a former sheriff's deputy wanted in connection with aggravated kidnapping and home invasion charges, along with a Plainfield carjacking. Lowell "Max" Ambler, 46, of Mendota, was reportedly spotted in LaSalle County Wednesday afternoon. The ensuing search prompted roadblocks and school lockdowns as police in south Earlville hunted for Ambler, who was also the subject of a manhunt Tuesday in Plainfield after allegedly ditching a stolen semi-truck in the village. Earlville is located about an hour west of Plainfield in LaSalle County, where Ambler is a former deputy.

Ambler is suspected of carjacking a victim who was checking on a deceased relative's barn early Wednesday on 119th Street west of Van Dyke Road. The victim told NBC Chicago he realized who Ambler was and said the fugitive took him to a section of the barn and told him to sit in the straw before fleeing in his vehicle.

Plainfield police said the suspect initially asked the victim for a ride before pulling a gun and demanding the vehicle. The victim flagged down a passerby and called 911, prompting officers to respond and conduct a search for the vehicle, which came up empty.

LaSalle County Sheriff Tom Templeton told NBC Chicago that Ambler is "I'm sure, very desperate" and on the run. Authorities reportedly believed he was holed up in the woods near Earlville. Although officers remained in the area guarding the perimeter and watching nearby homes, the search was called off late Wednesday. Templeton told NBC that a search would resume Thursday morning unless Ambler emerged overnight.

In notices to parents, Earlville Community Unit School District 9 and nearby Leland Community School District 1 said school was cancelled on Thursday "under the advisement of law enforcement."

Late Wednesday afternoon, Plainfield police confirmed the carjacked vehicle had been recovered in south Earlville. According to WSPY, the stolen Hyundai Santa Fe was found in a wooded area at around 3 p.m., and someone matching Ambler's description was seen running from a nearby hunting blind.

Ambler is wanted for bail bond violation and violating an order of protection in connection with the aggravated kidnapping and home invasion charges in Lee County. He was also the subject of a more than six-hour manhunt in Plainfield after reports that he stole a Freightliner semi-trailer, which was found abandoned Tuesday afternoon on Normantown Road north of 119th Street.

Plainfield police said the carjacking happened in the jurisdiction of the Will County Sheriff's Office, and the case has been handed over to the sheriff's department. Will County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Kathy Hoffmeyer said deputies headed to Earlville late Wednesday afternoon.

Kidnapping charges

Ambler is accused of holding a teenage girl against her will in Lee County in August and duct-taping her hands and head, then tossing her, unconscious, into a bean field. He was released on bond several days after a Sept. 15 arrest, but a new arrest warrant was issued after he allegedly violated an order of protection, Mendota police said.

Lee County Sheriff John Simonton also told SaukValley.com that Ambler may be armed with a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun.

Ambler is described as a white male with brown hair, blue eyes and a goatee. He is 6 feet tall and between 200 and 230 pounds, police have said.

• Related: 'Armed & Dangerous' Ex-Deputy No Longer In Plainfield Area: Police

Anyone who sees Ambler should not approach him, but call 911, police said. Anyone with information on the case should call the the Lee County Sheriff’s Department at 815-284-5217 or the Plainfield Police Department at 815-436-2341. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

The search for Ambler prompted a soft lockdown Tuesday at Plainfield North High School. Classes resumed Wednesday at the school, despite the search and a social media threat that turned out to be not from Plainfield, but from Iowa, District 202 said.

Photo via Mendota Police Department