November 12, 2004
Thomas County -- Johnathon Wooten was arrested in October and charged with robbing a Grady County convenience store at knife point. But Thursday night, he escaped from the Thomas County jail.
Wooten is considered dangerous.
Store surveillance video shows a man believed to be Wooten, pulling a knife on a Grady County store clerk. He was arrested but last night, he took off. "Bottom line is he escaped. He was able to run through a door that was opened by an officer and leave the facility," said Thomas Co. Sheriff's Dept. Capt. John Richards.
"From where Wooten was being held, he had a clear view of the outside door, and when it opened, he somehow managed to push out of his cell door, running out of the jail and disappearing into the night," said Richards.
"Somehow he was able to prevent the lock that was in the cell door he was in, from locking all the way." The officer leaving the building turned to the left, Wooten ran to the right.
"By the time the officer realized that he came out behind him, he was gone, I mean, he was running, of course the officer gave pursuit on foot."
Investigators got a tip that Wooten went to Grady County and then hitched a ride to Tallahassee. "Right now my guys are down there working with Leon County Sheriff's office, trying to get him back in custody," said Richards.
Where in addition to his current list of charges, a new one will be added, escape. An internal investigation into the escape is underway at the Thomas County Jail.
posted at 4:40PM by dave.miller@walb.com
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 Worldnow and WALB, a Raycom Media Station. 
