Manhunt Ends: Binghamton Man in Custody on Kidnapping and Contempt Charges

A Binghamton man is in custody on charges of kidnapping, contempt, and other offenses after an extensive pursuit and manhunt that concluded in Tompkins County on Wednesday.

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Broome County Sheriff's say the incident began on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, around 6:00 PM when Broome County Sheriff's deputies and New York State Police responded to a domestic disturbance in Whitney Point, involving a man and a woman, who subsequently left the scene in a U-Haul moving van before law enforcement could arrive.

As deputies were en route to the scene, one of them spotted a U-Haul van matching the reported description traveling south on New York State Route 12 in the Town of Chenango. Recognizing one of the individuals in the vehicle as Christopher M. Borges, a 30-year-old resident of Binghamton known to have pending robbery charges from the City of Binghamton Police, the deputy attempted to perform a traffic stop. However, the driver, later identified as Abigail A. Galusha, 20, of Endicott, failed to comply.

Galusha accelerated south on Route 12, driving at a high rate of speed, passing multiple vehicles, and engaging in reckless driving. Two deputies and a New York State trooper pursued the U-Haul. The pursuit continued onto Interstate Route 81 North via Exit 6, then through the Town of Barker and Whitney Point at Exit 8. The fleeing suspects continued west on Route 79, speeding through the Village of Whitney Point, Lisle, and eventually entering Tioga County.

The Broome County Sheriff's Office says the chase finally concluded in Tompkins County when the U-Haul ran out of fuel, veered off the roadway, went over an embankment, and came to a stop in a wooded field near Route 79 & Deerfield Lane, west of Slaterville Springs.

According to the Broome County Sheriff's Office, Galusha was apprehended at the scene by law enforcement from Broome and Tompkins Sheriff’s Offices. However, Borges fled into the surrounding wood line. Galusha was transported to Broome County Central Arraignment for multiple warrants from the Town of Vestal Court and was released on Wednesday, October 25, 2023.

During the investigation, it was discovered that Borges had been in possession of a pistol, which he used to threaten Galusha during the initial domestic dispute and subsequently forced her to continue fleeing from law enforcement.

At some point during the pursuit, Borges allegedly struck Galusha multiple times in the face, ultimately forcing her out of the driver's seat so that he could attempt to evade law enforcement. Upon searching the U-Haul, deputies located a pistol, which was later determined to be a CO2 BB gun with similar characteristics to a real firearm.

The Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office subsequently assumed jurisdiction over the scene, with the assistance of the New York State Police and Broome County Sheriff’s Office, in securing the area and locating the suspect. The Ithaca-Tompkins SWAT team was activated and conducted operations throughout the night and into the early morning hours in an effort to locate Borges.

Around 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, a member of the community contacted the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office with a possible sighting of Borges in a dense, swampy area near the abandoned U-Haul van. Tompkins Sheriff’s deputies apprehended Borges without incident. Subsequently, the Broome County Sheriff’s Office took custody of Borges and transported him to Broome County Central Arraignment.

The Broome County Sheriff's Office says Christopher M. Borges now faces charges of kidnapping in the 2nd degree, a class b felony, criminal contempt in the 1st degree, a class e felony, and unlawfully fleeing a police officer in the 3rd degree, a class a misdemeanor.

During the pursuit, the Broome County Sheriff’s Office received support from the New York State Police, Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office, Tioga County Sheriff’s Office, and Ithaca Police Department in their attempts to locate Borges.

Please note that all individuals are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.