U.S. Marshals caught escaped Florida inmate Dominic Reddick, 22, late Friday night in Liberty County near Savannah, Ga. Authorities in both states had been looking for Reddick since last Monday, when he escaped after the van he was being transported in broke down. He was charged with trying to kill an Orlando police officer by pointing a gun to the officer's chest and pulling the trigger. The gun failed to fire.
Reddick was taken into custody without incident and taken to a local hospital for treatment for the injuries sustained while hiding in heavily forested and swampy areas, Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Jennifer A. Armstrong said.
More than 70 officers along with dogs, a helicopter and thermal imaging cameras searched for Reddick after authorities got a tip that he had been dropped off near Savannah, Armstrong said, adding they suspected he would try to hitch a ride back to Florida.
Deputy U.S. Marshals from Tallahassee, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Savannah and Macon, Ga., as well as air support from Tampa were brought in to assist in the search, said Deputy U.S. Marshall John Blount. U.S. Marshals assumed the case last week at the request of the Alachua County Sheriff's Office, he said.
A videotape from a gas station showed that Reddick slipped away last week while guards from State Extraditions Inc., the company transporting the group, were tending to the other inmates, Sumter County sheriff's Lt. Donald Knee said.
The officers must unlock leg shackles when loading and unloading the inmates. They were locking them again when Reddick escaped barefoot, he said.
An extradition request must be made by the governor's office for the return of Reddick, who is wanted in Sumter, Orange and Alachua counties for, among other charges, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and several serious felony charges, said Sgt. Keith Faulk, the public information officer for the Alachua County Sheriff's Office.