Man trapped, rescued after hiding from Columbia authorities in storm drain

COLUMBIA, Tenn. (WKRN) — A man ran away from law enforcement in Columbia — only to end up trapped and then rescued from a narrow storm drain.

The Columbia Police Department said the incident took place on Thursday, April 3, after officers were sent to conduct a welfare check on Gabrielle Sheffield, 18, who had outstanding warrants for theft.

According to authorities, Sheffield ran away when police tried to detain her.

Doorbell video acquired by News 2 shows a man—identified as 19-year-old Ty Harrington—also run away after he spotted officers chasing Sheffield.

As a result, police positioned a squad car around Andrews Street and were able to arrest Sheffield, but Harrington darted into a storm drain and dashed under the street.

At approximately 12 p.m., officials received a 911 call reporting a very strange occurrence.

“There is a man stuck in a drain. He is sticking his hands out waving, trying to get someone’s attention,” reported the caller.

“Is there water in the drain?” asked a dispatcher.

“Probably, I don’t think it is super deep but there is probably water in there,” replied the caller. “I didn’t see how he got in there. We can literally see his hand sticking out waving.”

As seen on video, two hands were sticking out of a metal storm gate on Woodland Street near the judicial complex.

Within minutes of the 911 call, Columbia fire crews removed the grate. That’s when officials said a 6’3″ tall, 180 pound suspect was taken into custody without incident.

“I guess a neighbor heard him yelling for help,” David Gilliam told News 2. Although he didn’t see Harrington waving for help from the grate in his front yard, Gilliam said he did see the Columbia Fire & Rescue Department make the rescue.

“He came out and he was all soaking wet,” recalled Gilliam. “I was here when they pulled him out and everything.”

News 2 requested a jailhouse interview with Harrington, but he refused. He was charged with evading arrest related to the drain incident.

Meanwhile, Sheffield was charged with resisting arrest after running from police.