Georgia teens allegedly grab gun, knock out deputy and escape custody before being recaptured by police
Two Georgia teenagers escaped custody and prompted a manhunt Thursday after they overpowered a deputy and assaulted him with his own gun, according to police.
The boys, identified as Brandon Davis, 14, and Corinthian Newton, 15, stripped a deputy of his gun and used it to knock him unconscious, according to the Jenkins County Sheriff's Office. The teenagers then fled into the woods and are now back in custody after an extensive search, police said.
"The safety of our community was of utmost importance, and we were confident that, together, we would bring these individuals to justice," Burke County Sheriff Alfonzo Williams said in a statement.
"The deputy is safely recovering. The juvenile suspects are unharmed and in custody."
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The escape happened Thursday afternoon at Highway 56 and Knight Road, just south of the Richmond County line. The teens were being transported to the Regional Youth Detention Center in Augusta after an appearance in court in Millen, about 51 miles south of Augusta, on burglary and gun charges, local station WRDW reported.
Burke County Sheriff’s Office Col. Jimmy Wylds told the outlet that while being driven back to Augusta, the teens complained about being hot in the back of the police vehicle.
Deputy Milo Perry reportedly refused to roll down the windows but eventually opened the partition between the front seat and rear compartment.
"And at some point, one of them goes into the cab of the truck and started wrestling with him and was able to get his gun and pistol weapon, and they stopped and got out. And they fought a little bit outside," Wylds told WRDW. "It’s my understanding that they fired around and then ran off into the woods."
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The teens fired three rounds with Perry's gun in the deputy's direction, the Jenkins County Sheriff's Office said. The deputy was not shot but was transported to a hospital for treatment after the teens attacked him with his weapon, according to police.
Nearly three dozen law enforcement units responded to the escape, including officers from the Burke County Sheriff's Office. Authorities launched a manhunt to find the escaped teens, who were still shackled when they fled.
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The boys were apprehended around 5 p.m. with the assistance of police dogs, WRDW reported.
"Bloodhounds from the Department of Juvenile Justice or their department of corrections were able to track them into the woods. We found a T-shirt belonging to one of the suspects that had some blood on it," Wylds told the station.
The bloodhounds tracked the escapees to a dead end on Ponderosa Road, where the teens were found hiding in a storage container.
"When the dogs got on them, they surrendered," Wylds said.
Sheriff Williams thanked the participating law enforcement agencies for their assistance and the community for its support during the search.
"Thank you everyone for remaining vigilant and reporting any suspicious activities or sightings," Williams said.
It is unclear what additional charges the teens will face.