Nationwide hunt ends; Southbridge fugitive on alleged mission to kill a local teen.

• Author: Lee, Brian
• Position: Local

Byline: Brian Lee and Scott J. Croteau

A 26-year-old fugitive from Southbridge who is accused of raping a 13-year-old girl, and later of committing rapes, kidnappings and robberies across the country, was arrested late Tuesday after crashing his SUV into the Hudson River and pulling a gun on a man in upstate New York, authorities said.

Gregory J. Lewis, who allegedly attacked his family in September and fled Massachusetts, was apprehended in Fort Edward, New York, about 50 miles from the Massachusetts border, about midnight. State police said he had told several people he intended to return to Southbridge and kill his accuser.

The six-week hunt for Mr. Lewis came to an end when a New York trooper tried to pull over his vehicle, and Mr. Lewis sped away, eventually crashing his SUV into the river.

At a news conference Wednesday in Framingham, Detective Lt. Michael Farley, commander of the Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section of the Massachusetts State Police, said Mr. Lewis "had indicated to several people that he was going to come back to Massachusetts and he wanted to kill the victim from his original case.''

New York and Pennsylvania authorities had been asked to be on the lookout for Mr. Lewis after police in Massachusetts reasoned that was the most likely route for Mr. Lewis to take to return.

In an interview, Southbridge Provisional Deputy Chief Shane D. Woodson said Mr. Lewis' capture ended in the best possible way: without anyone being injured.

Southbridge detectives had been on high alert in recent weeks in case the lifelong Southbridge resident were to come back.

They said they were doing everything within their resources to protect the girl he is accused of raping and her family. The family was relocated while Mr. Lewis was at large.

"We had additional staffing planned; we had additional shifts filled; we had police officers at every single school from the beginning of the day until the end of day dismissal,'' Deputy Chief Woodson said. "Again, no threat had been directed at school, but we were just doing it as a precautionary measure.''

The deputy chief said residents had suggested to police that it might be best to cancel Halloween trick-or-treating.

"I'm happy it's all over,'' he said.

Southbridge officers talked to the victim's family after Mr. Lewis was caught.

"Needless to say, I think it's obvious they were extremely relieved. It's been a long road for them,'' Deputy Chief Woodson said.

Detective Lt. Farley said: "I don't...