WASHINGTON — Police in Charlottesville have issued arrest warrants for reckless driving for a person of interest in the case of missing University of Virginia student Hannah Graham.
On Sunday, Charlottesville’s police chief says the warrants have been issued for Jesse Matthew for the misdemeanors.
Police say Matthew, who lives in the Charlottesville-area apartment complex that was searched Friday and whose vehicle was seized, is the last person to have seen Graham before she disappeared early Sept. 13.
While police have not arrested Matthew, or officially declared him a suspect in Graham’s disappearance, saying they don’t yet have evidence to charge him with a crime, they hope to question him formally as part of the investigation.
A WTOP reporter in Charlottesville was asked to leave the property of Matthew’s relative — who was quoted in a Daily Mail interview — saying the person of interest would never hurt anybody.
See related story: More than 1K people search for missing UVa student
Charlottesville police say Matthew was seen on surveillance video following Graham on the downtown walking mall.
On Friday, police chief Tim Longo said witnesses saw him with his arm around Graham after 1 a.m. Graham and the man entered the Tempo restaurant, bought drinks, and left shortly afterward.
Longo says police “have every reason to believe” Graham left with Matthew in his 1998 burnt orange Chrysler coupe, which was seized early Friday.
WTOP’s Mike Murillo reports Matthew works as a transporter for the University of Virginia health system. Earlier he worked as a cab driver, and played college football for Liberty University.
Court records show traffic violations, public drinking and indecency cases, and assault arrests.
Police still have no clues as to Graham’s welfare or location.
Roughly 1,000 volunteers spend Saturday searching for the sophomore from northern Virginia.
WTOP’s Mike Murillo, Kathy Stewart and Neal Augenstein contributed to this report.
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