WEYERS CAVE, Virginia — Authorities are searching the Weyers Cave area for an inmate who escaped while on work release.
Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller says 44-year-old Karan Batra escaped at about 10 a.m. Wednesday. He was a member of a work release crew landscaping the Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport's grounds.
Batra is described as an Asian male, 5-feet 5-inches tall and weighing about 165 pounds. He was wearing blue jeans and an orange Virginia Department of Corrections work shirt when he was last seen.
Geller says Batra has connections to the Alexandria area.
She says Batra's convictions are for non-violent crimes and he isn't considered dangerous. However, he shouldn't be approached.
The Virginia Department of Corrections says Batra was assigned to Cold Springs Work Center.
