Edward D. Wells heads to court Tuesday. (The Vicksburg Post/MELANIE DUNCAN)

[06/13/01] A Natchez man accused of throwing his girlfriend off a 25-foot cliff and leaving her for dead is being held in the Warren County Jail on $100,000 bond after his initial court appearance Tuesday.

It was the first court appearance by Edward D. Wells, 29, 10 Hillcrest Drive, after eluding Warren County authorities for almost 11 months.

Justice Court Judge Richard Bradford III read the aggravated assault charge against Wells and told him an attorney would be appointed to represent him.

Wells, who said he understood the charge, is accused of beating 29-year-old Patricia Rabb and throwing her off the cliff July 21.

Rabb, also from Natchez, was found the next day by construction workers two miles north of Vicksburg. She had spent several months in intensive care in a Jackson hospital.

Wells was captured Friday afternoon in Natchez after an anonymous tip, Adams County Sheriff Tommy Ferrell said.

He said someone called and said Wells was headed to Natchez and gave a description of the car he was driving.

Ferrell said the department’s K-9 officer spotted a car that matched the description and, after checking, discovered the car was stolen.

“He attempted to pull Wells over and a short chase began through a residential area,” Ferrell said.

The chase had gone on for about a mile when Wells jumped from the car and tried to outrun officers on foot, Ferrell said.

He was taken into custody moments later, and picked up by Warren County deputies around 7 p.m. Friday.

Wells’ case will be presented to the July term of the grand jury.

He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of aggravated assault.