A former Alabama prison official and a murder suspect accused of helping to escape arrest have been arrested in Indiana on Monday after more than a week on the run, law enforcement officials said.
The two fugitives were captured in Evansville, Indiana, after U.S. marshals chased their vehicle and then crashed into it, authorities said. Casey White, 38, surrendered and Vicki White, 56, shot herself and was taken to hospital, authorities said.
“It ended a very long, stressful and challenging week and a half. It ended the way we knew it would. They’re in custody, “said Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton of Alabama.
0:36 Former Alabama penitentiary turns into fugitive seen leaving hotel in new video: Police Former Alabama penitentiary turned into fugitive seen leaving hotel in new video: Police
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The arrest of the unrelated couple put an end to a nationwide search that began on April 29, when Vicki White, assistant director of the Lauderdale County Jail, said she had helped carry out the escape of Casey White, who was waiting trial in a death murder case. Vicki White told colleagues she was taking the inmate from the mental health prison to the courthouse, but instead they fled the area.
The car they took off was later found abandoned in Tennessee, but there was no sign of the couple until U.S. marshals received advice Sunday that photos from a car wash in Evansville showed a man who looked very much like Casey White coming down. from a Ford F-2006 150 pickup, said the Marshall Service.
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On Monday, officials learned the couple had been spotted near the sheriff’s office, Vanderburg County Sheriff Dave Widing in Indiana said. When police arrived, the two fled in a vehicle and led police in pursuit, he said. U.S. marshals clashed with them “to try to end the persecution,” he said. Casey White was injured, not too seriously, in the crash, and Vicki White then shot herself, causing “very serious” injuries, he said.
“We are lucky that there are no law enforcement officers injured, no innocent civilians injured, the persecution was short-lived and we have both people in custody,” Weding said.
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1:40 Search for a runaway prisoner, a police officer in progress in Alabama Search for a runaway prisoner, a correctional officer in Alabama
Casey White was serving a 75-year sentence for attempted murder and other charges during her escape.
“Today we removed a dangerous man from the street. He will never see the light of day again. This is a good thing, not just for our community. That’s a good thing for our country, “Singleton said.
An order was issued for Vicki Sue White on May 2, accusing her of allowing or facilitating a first-degree escape.
Vicky White’s family members and colleagues said they were amazed at her involvement. Singleton had said that in retrospect, the plan seemed to work for some time. The inmates said the two had a special relationship and she treated Casey White better than the other inmates. She recently sold her home and bought what would become an escape car, which authorities later found abandoned in Tennessee.
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“This escape was obviously well planned and calculated. A lot of preparation was put into this. “They had a lot of resources, they had money, they had vehicles,” Singleton said.
Investigators believe Casey White’s pickup truck was stolen in Tennessee and then driven about 175 miles (280 kilometers) to Evansville, a law enforcement official told the Associated Press. The officer could not publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
Federal and local law enforcement officials also learned that Casey White threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend and sister in 2015 and said he “wants the police to kill him,” the marshals’ office said. Investigators said they have been in contact with them about the threats and are taking steps to ensure their safety.
Associated Press author Mike Balsamo contributed from Washington.
© 2022 The Canadian Press
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