McCASKILL, Ark. (AP) - Law enforcement authorities in south Arkansas captured two jail escapees within minutes of each other Thursday night. One was spotted walking along a highway and the other was found in a small country church.
Arkansas State Police spokesman Bill Sadler said the apprehension was the result of "just good law enforcement teamwork." Authorities had been searching since Wednesday morning for Jerry Mills and Michael Dewayne Gulley, who were reporting
missing from the Pike County jail in Murfreesboro.
Around 6 p.m. Thursday, a person called police to report a man walking along Arkansas 195 in the McCaskill area, near the Hempstead-Pike county line, Sadler said. Law enforcement from several nearby counties, along with Arkansas State Police and state Game and Fish officers, began searching the area.
Police arrested Mills, 30, without incident and he was returned to the Pike County jail, Sadler said. Mills had been in the jail on drug charges and a parole violation.
About 10 minutes later, police arrested Gulley, 33, about two miles away in a small church. Sadler said Gulley was captured after law enforcement decided to re-canvass some areas they'd already searched. Gulley was also arrested without incident and returned to the county jail.
Gulley was being held on suspicion of murder in the fatal shooting of a Prescott woman.
Authorities said a lock on a jail cell was forced open and the prisoners then went to the day room at the back of the jail. From the day room, the men went to an outdoor area available to prisoners and used a blanket to climb over a razor-wired security
fence, police said.
Authorities believe the prisoners may have used bicycles to get away after climbing a second fence.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
