Two Washington Parish jail inmates enjoyed a brief episode of freedom Sunday afternoon and evening after they escaped.
The inmates escaped from the downtown Franklinton jail shortly after 4 p.m. Sunday. One was recaptured at approximately 9:30 p.m., and the other was recaptured at 10:11 p.m.
While brief, their escape alarmed local residents, mainly because of a recent massive jailbreak at the Orleans Parish Jail that received national attention. However, while some of the Orleans Parish escapees were in jail for murder charges and/or other serious offenses, the two Washington Parish escapes were in jail for lesser offenses.
Inmate Corey Lee Ard, age 21, of Franklinton, was arrested near the intersection of Highway 25 and Highway 16-West, just west of Franklinton. He was recaptured about 9:30 p.m. and returned to the jail.
His charges are unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of marijuana and a seat belt violation. He will now likely also face escape charges.
Inmate Kaid Montana Elliott, age 21, of Bogalusa, was arrested near the Cargill plant just southeast of downtown Franklinton at 10:11 p.m. and returned to the jail.
Elliott’s charges are two counts of unauthorized entry of an uninhabited dwelling, theft less than $1,000, aggravated burglary and a sexual battery misdemeanor. Like Ard, he will likely also be charged with escape.
Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office personnel said the two escapes were in the enclosed yard adjacent to the jail for a while. When they and other inmates were being returned to their cells, the two managed to hide and then scaled two barbed wire fences.
The jail staff was alerted to the escapes about 30 minutes afterwards when a citizen apparently contacted the Sheriff's Office to check the bond status of one of the escapees after learning that he was out of jail. After the citizen checked the inmate’s bond status with the Sheriff’s Office, jailers learned of the escapes.
While the escapes are problematic for the Sheriff’s Office, they are also yet another indicator of the overcrowding situation at the jail, which is the most overcrowded jail in the state on a percentage basis, according to jail updates that Sheriff Jason Smith has provided to the Parish Council.
