Four Dozier escapees captured, face charges

By Kate McCardell

Published: May 14, 2008

Four juveniles who escaped from the Arthur G. Dozier juvenile detention center Wednesday were captured by noon the same day. One juvenile was apprended as he was attempting to escape, and the other three were captured by law enforcement around Norton Still Road south of Marianna.

The Marianna Police Department reports that the boys now face charges of escape.

According to Department of Juvenile Justice spokesperson Frank Penela, the juvenile that was caught in his attempt to escape will likely be charged with attempted escape.

It was reported by the detention center at 10:10 a.m. that four boys escaped by going over a fence on the south side of the facility.

“They just climbed over the fence,” said Penela. “There was a group going from the library at Dozier II (the school side of the facility) to Dozier I (otherwise known as Jackson Juvenile Offender Correctional Center, a more jail-like setting) and during the transport a group of four broke off and one was apprehended actually attempting to leave.”

Law enforcement agents brought tracking dogs to the scene and a helicopter in an effort to locate the escapees, according to a law enforcement officer near the scene.

According to authorities, the Jackson County Sheriff’s helicopter unit spotted the three young men at a fence bordering Interstate 10, south of Norton Still Rd. The boys ran back into the woods and eventually made their way to Highway 73 at I10, where they were captured by law enforcement.

The Marianna Middle School was in lockdown while the search was under way.