PROCTORVILLE — A Huntington, West Virginia, man is the focus of a manhunt by Proctorville police following an attempt to arrest him on Tuesday.

At approximately 7 p.m. Howard Mays Jr., 30, jumped into the Ohio River behind the Kroger grocery store on County Road 107, according to a report by Proctorville police.

A police car was parked outside of a house in the village when a neighbor alerted the officer that Mays had come to the residence, the report stated. Mays allegedly fled when he saw the police car, and jumped into the river as the officer was attempting to confirm Mays’ identity.

The officer then followed Mays down the riverbank until he eventually lost sight him.

There are two outstanding warrants on Mays.

Later that evening and several times throughout the night, another individual was contacted by Mays from a Huntington business, according to Proctorville police. Police chief Bill Murphy compared a photo of Mays that he had obtained with the security camera footage from the business of Mays entering the establishment around the time the first phone call was made.

Murphy took the photos from the security camera footage to people who knew Mays, where his identity was confirmed. Anyone who has information on Mays’ whereabouts or has been in contact with Mays is encouraged to contact Chief Murphy at the Proctorville Police Department at 740-886-6366.