An inmate is on the run after escaping from the Cocke County Jail Annex on Wednesday night, prompting a county-wide manhunt. The escapee, identified as 37-year-old Stephen Dewayne Jones, was last seen rummaging through a Food City parking lot in Newport. Jones, who is homeless, faces charges including DUI, no insurance, an open container, simple possession, and false reports, according to Sheriff C.J. Ball in a statement obtained by WVLT News.
The search kicked off after Jones' departure from the facility at approximately 10:25 P.M., with Sheriff Ball affirming surveillance of the downtown area. In an oversight searching the downtown Newport, Jones' trajectory led him to an interim stop at Food City, his last known whereabouts on Broadway Street. Officials noted that the missing inmate does not have a solid roof over his head, complicating the search efforts, as told by Ball to WVLT News.
The Cocke County Sheriff's Office has been combing through Newport in pursuit of Jones since last night. Residents are on alert, as law enforcement encourages anyone with information regarding Jones' current location to come forward. The search operation is ongoing, with the Sheriff's Office determined to recapture the fugitive, detailed in a report by WATE.
As part of the continuous search efforts, authorities have reviewed security footage. They are piecing together the sequence of events that led to the inmate slip out unseen late Wednesday night. With a record of vehicle-related offenses, the sticky-fingered nature of his escape incident was added by Sheriff Ball in a statement to WBIR. The Cocke County Sheriff’s Office urges the public to stay vigilant and report any sightings as they tighten the dragnet for Jones.
