BROWN COUNTY, Ind. — A Nevada man accused of abducting an 8-year-old girl was arrested near Brown County State Park on Friday night, according to local authorities.
Officers were called to the state park to look into a report of a suspicious man, later identified as Daniel Eggers, of Nevada, who was last seen driving a black Cadillac with a young girl as his passenger near the south park gate.
He was traveling northbound through the park when an officer saw his car, noted his front headlight was out and began following him. Eggers ended up pulling over before the deputy had his emergency lights on, which he turned on after both vehicles were stopped.
Court documents say when the officer went to speak with Eggers he noted a girl sitting in the back seat and that the car was "full of stuff." Eggers told the officer he didn't have a headlight out and argued the officer was harassing him. Eggers also refused to give his driver's license to the officer because he technically wasn't driving when the officer stopped him.
After several minutes of arguing, documents say, the officer asked Eggers to get out of the vehicle and when he did, he was handcuffed.
The officer searched Eggers for weapons and an ID and found his wallet, which had Eggers' license in it as well as a second Nevada driver's license that Eggers said was for his deceased brother.
This is when the officer spoke to dispatchers and discovered that Eggers was wanted in Nevada on multiple warrants including felony child abduction or concealment, not kidnapping as was stated by authorities in a report on Saturday.
Dispatch also advised the officer that the 8-year-old girl Eggers was traveling with had been abducted.
The girl was turned over to the Indiana Department of Child Services and placed with a local family until she can be reunited with her parent or guardian.
Brown County Prosecuting Attorney Ted Adams explained Nevada's abduction or concealment of a child charge is, "more like Indiana's Interference with Custody statute, which essentially involves a custodial parent removing a child or retaining a child in violation of a custodial order."
He added, "Regardless, I know that there is a guardian or custodial parent who is looking forward to seeing the young child again."
Eggers was arrested and later charged with misdemeanor refusal to identify. He was taken to the Brown County Jail where he'll be held for extradition to Nevada.
Adams applauded local authorities in this case for sensing something was off and reacting.
"They called me immediately while on-scene with Mr. Eggers and we prioritized the safety of the child, first, followed by the apprehension and detainment of Mr. Eggers," Adams said.
Adam has also requested deputies seize Eggers' phone in order to help officers in both Indiana and Nevada investigate what had transpired over the course of the last few months.
NOTE: The story was updated to reflect Eggers was wanted in Nevada on multiple warrants including felony child abduction or concealment, not kidnapping as was originally stated by the Brown County Sheriff's Office.