Rabun County inmate escapes jail, changes mind 15 minutes later
Richard Jason Crump (Rabun County Sheriff's Office)
TIGER, Ga. - An inmate at the Rabun County Detention Center faces an additional charge of escape after he allegedly scaled a perimeter fence Monday morning, only to climb back into the facility 15 minutes later.
Richard Jason Crump 45, was on a work detail when he used a tool shed to hide his movements before fleeing into a wooded area, according to the Rabun County Sheriff’s Office.
What we know:
Investigators say the incident began at approximately 8:09 a.m. in Tiger. Crump was reportedly assigned to a work detail when he used a tool shed as concealment to climb over the back portion of the outer perimeter fence.
Once he cleared the fence, investigators say Crump traveled on foot through the woods between the detention center and the Rabun County Recycling Center. Sheriff’s Office investigators spotted him in the woods on Boen Creek Road, right across the street from the sheriff’s office.
After an investigator called out to him, Crump reportedly headed back through the woods toward the jail. By 8:24 a.m., he climbed back over the fence at the exact spot where he had originally escaped.
The detention center was placed on lockdown during the event while staff accounted for all other inmates.
What they're saying:
Sheriff Mark Gerrells said the Rabun County Sheriff’s Office takes the safety of the community, staff, and inmates very seriously and will continue working to maintain and achieve the highest level of security within the detention center.
What's next:
Crump is now facing a new charge of escape. While the criminal investigation into his actions continues, the sheriff's office is also conducting an internal administrative investigation into the security breach to prevent a similar incident from happening again.
The Source: The Rabun County Sheriff's Office provided the details for this article.