The second inmate who escaped last week from an Arkansas county jail has been captured, authorities said on Monday.
Jatonia Bryant, 23, was walking in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, on Monday when nearby officers conducting surveillance saw him. Captain Yohance Brunson of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) identified Bryant by his clothing, the sheriff’s office said in a press release.
Bryant walked near Brunson’s vehicle, and the captain called for additional personnel who assisted in taking Bryant into custody “without incident.”
Last Thursday, the other inmate who escaped, 22-year-old Noah Roush, was apprehended after the Metropolitan Emergency Association (MECA) received a 911 call from someone who said a person fitting Roush’s description was inside an abandoned home in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.
At that time, Brunson arrived to find Roush, who attempted to flee. Brunson chased Roush and was able to apprehend him with the help of Captain Brad Vilches and Officer Aaron Torres of the Southeast Arkansas College Department of Public Safety (SEARKDPS).
“We appreciate the brave citizen who made the decision to get involved and call MECA as well as the outstanding efforts of our own Captain Brunson, as well as SEARKDPS Captain Brad Vilches and Officer Torres,” the JCSO said in the press release. “Over the last three days numerous hours were worked by our own Deputies as well as the Pine Bluff Police Department Vice and Narcotics, Arkansas State Police, and Arkansas Department of Correction. We appreciate all of their time and effort they have put in to make this happen.”
Roush and Bryant were discovered missing Monday night, around 10:30 p.m. local time, the JCSO said in an earlier press release. Bryant was being held on probable cause of capital murder, while Roush was being held on probable cause for residential burglary and theft of property. He is also the suspect in a homicide.
The sheriff’s office said on Monday that an internal investigation of the escape revealed that jail personnel had not conducted an accurate head count, leading to Roush and Bryant escaping 36 hours before they were discovered missing.
“While both Noah Roush and Jatonia Bryant have been returned to the detention center our investigation does not end. Our Investigators will continue to work bringing criminal charges against all the people who assisted Roush and Bryant in evading apprehension,” the JCSO said.
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The sheriff’s office also said that “the actions of our jailers” would not be excused and that an investigation continues into the escape.
“We are committed to transparency and accountability throughout this process, recognizing that the trust of our community hinges on our ability to effectively safeguard our community and those under our care. As Sheriff, I assure you that every resource will be mobilized, every protocol reviewed, and every effort exerted to prevent such incidents from occurring again,” Sheriff Lafayette Woods, Jr. said in the press release. “Let there be no doubt: the safety of our community and the integrity of our detention center are non-negotiable priorities, and we will spare no effort in upholding them.”