Monday, March 10, 2008

Escaped Prisoner Recaptured

   A Lawrence County inmate who escaped from custody last week at the new temporary jail has been recaptured.

   Authorities had issued an alert on Thursday, shortly after they discovered that the inmate was missing. At that time, Chief Deputy Terry Beecham with the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department reported that Michael Ray Looker, age 44, had left the premises of the facility on Baler Drive, while assigned to work at the county bale fill. Corrections officials discovered that Looker was missing at around 12:30 p.m.

   Looker, who had been jailed under a number of charges, including theft, burglary, vandalism, and possession of drug paraphernalia, had been scheduled for release only four days later.

   Beecham indicated Monday that members of his department had received a tip that morning that had lead to his capture.

   Officials were able to gain information that led them to a barn on Brace Road in the Summertown area. There, Looker was placed under arrest and transported back to the sheriff’s department. He was then transported for incarceration at the Giles County Jail.

   According to Beecham, Looker now faces additional charges of felony escape.

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