Published: May 12, 2008 11:43 am      

Escaped inmates caught in Whitley

Pair found near I-75 in Williamsburg after stolen car ran out of gas

By Brad Hicks / Staff Writer

Two escaped inmates were arrested by members of the Williamsburg Police Department Saturday when the Millersburg Fire Chief’s vehicle they allegedly stole ran out of fuel in Whitley County.

According to Williamsburg Police Det. Wayne Bird, inmates Michael McDowell, 29, of Irvine, and Shane Carson, 33, of Nicholasville, were state prisoners who were supposed to be painting a fire truck Friday as part of a Bourbon County jail work release program. Instead, the pair allegedly took the Millersburg Fire Chief’s black Ford Bronco and escaped when their supervising officer was called away.

The vehicle was found abandoned near the 12-mile marker on Interstate 75 northbound at approximately 7:10 a.m. Saturday. A check on the vehicle showed it had been stolen, and authorities learned of the two men who had allegedly escaped from work detail.

Bird said extra units were sent out to canvas the Williamsburg area and checks were done of area businesses and residences.

“We felt like they were still in the city,” Bird said. “We had been told they were armed and dangerous. We just stayed on top of it, and it panned out.”

At around 10 a.m., Bird spotted the two men walking out of the woods and onto the shoulder of Interstate 75 near the Williamsburg bypass.

“Both of them were easily recognizable from the pictures we had,” he said.

Officers arrested the two without incident.

“It think they were wet, tired and hungry and they had nowhere else to go,” Bird said.

According to Bird, the two men said little in their police interview. Officers learned that the men took the alleged stolen vehicle to LaFollete, Tenn. and Estill County, but aren’t sure of the reason. The vehicle was left in the Williamsburg area because it had run out of gas.

“They had quite a journey,” Bird said.

The Associated Press reported that Carson was in jail for possession of a forged instrument and McDowell was charged with wanton endangerment. State police told the AP the two men will be charged with escape and theft.

Carson and McDowell weren’t the only work release inmates to escape from custody on Friday.

In Corbin, 28-year-old George Brewer of Artemus allegedly walked away from a work release project at Miller Park.

As of press time Sunday, Brewer was still at large.

He had been in the Whitley County Detention Center for two counts of receiving stolen property over $300.