Arkansas Authorities Arrest Second Escaped Prisoner
Authorities in Arkansas on Monday captured a murder suspect who escaped from a local jail with another inmate, ending a weeklong manhunt.
Officers conducting surveillance in Pine Bluff, Ark., spotted the suspect, Jatonia Bryant, 23, walking down the street just after 11 a.m. wearing clothing matching a description provided to law enforcement authorities and arrested him “without incident.” the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said a press release.
Mr. Bryant, who is charged with murder in the death of a man last year, and Noah Roush, 22, were found missing Jan. 22 from the WC “Dub” Brassell Adult Detention Center in Pine Bluff, about 40 miles away . southeast of Little Rock, after a daring escape that involved bursting through holes they made in the ceiling and roof of the facility, the sheriff's office said.
On Thursday, officers arrested Mr. Roush near an abandoned home in Pine Bluff where he had reportedly been seen. Mr. Roush was in jail on charges of burglary and theft.
Mr. Bryant had remained at large, although authorities last week expressed confidence that he was hiding somewhere in the United States city with almost 40,000 inhabitants.
Escape charges were pending against both men on Monday, authorities said.
“Our investigators will continue to work to bring criminal charges against all people who assisted Roush and Bryant in evading arrest,” the sheriff's news release said.
Authorities also announced Monday that Mr. Bryant and Mr. Roush had fled for about 36 hours before prison staff noticed they were gone, having previously failed to get an accurate count.
Jefferson County Sheriff Lafayette Woods Jr. also suggested that flaws in the jail's design and structure allowed the pair to escape, saying the episode would serve as a “catalyst for further capital improvements” at the jail.
Last week, sheriff's office spokesman Maj. John Bean said surveillance footage showed the two men had worked together to cut a hole in the ceiling above a shower stall and escape.
Sheriff Woods added that the facility, which opened in 2007 with 310 beds to alleviate overcrowded county jails, was suffering from staff shortages and was down to 20 guards, down from a previous record of 48.