Missing pilot running from the law

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WISH/WALA) - A Hamilton County, Indiana man is on the run from the law after authorities say he tried to fake his own death.

Investigators are searching for Marcus Schrenker. They say he apparently made a phony distress call and secretly parachuted from his plane to safety near Birmingham, Alabama. He was later caught on tape checking into a hotel in Childersburg.

This all happened after the Secretary of State's office executed a search of Schrenker's home and business on January 2.

Friends and neighbors say Schrenker seemed to have two sides.

"He has a split personality. They would see a good side to him but then he would just flip a switch, blow a fuse. He would go crazy over something that would be insignificant to others but to him it was something big," said friend Tom Britt.

Since our Monday interview with Britt on Monday, he said he's received an e-mail from Schrenker saying the situation is a misunderstanding and he fears he will soon be dead.

Watch our exclusive Tuesday morning interview with Britt by clicking the "play" button on the video player below:

The Indiana Securities Division of the Secretary of State's office has granted a temporary restraining order against Marcus Schrenker, Michelle Schrenker and his three companies so that all assets are frozen to protect investors.

After bailing out, Schrenker's plane was left on autopilot and continued to fly, later crashing in east Milton in Florida. Twisted metal and broken branches is what investigators found Monday morning in east Milton.

"When we got to the crash site there was no one present in the plane," said Sgt. Scott Haines with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office. "We did not find any blood in the plane and the door was open on the plane."

Investigators with the FAA and NTSB spent most of Monday at the crash site that's right in the middle of a residential area.

"Probably 3/4 of a mile on the edge of the woods and however far back it is in the woods," said Milton resident Phyllis Blazier.

And for those in the town of Milton, that's just too close to home. "Yes, it was very frightening to know that it was deliberate," said Blazier. "It's very infuriating."

The NTSB said a preliminary report will be available in about a week.