I was going to reference this in the TN post, but with the officer's death it didn't seem appropriate.

This is more of the Barney Fife variety, at least at this point.

Inmate escapes from hospital

By George Jones
Sand Mountain Reporter

Published August 09, 2005

James Mark Hayes remains on the loose after he escaped from an officer’s custody in the parking lot of Marshall Medical Center South following treatment.

Hayes was taken to MMCS for treatment of “some type of kidney infection by Officer Michael Abercrombie,” Boaz Police Chief Terry Davis said.

At some point, Abercrombie was relieved by new jailor Josh Gaskin, whom Davis said, “was taken advantage of by Hayes, who has been in the system for some time.”

As Gaskin was escorting him out of the hospital in leg irons, Davis said, “he (Hayes) told Gaskin he was hurting real bad and asked him to let him sit down until he (Gaskin) pulled the patrol car up to the exit.”

Davis stated that “while Gaskin attempted to maintain visual contact with Hayes as he brought the patrol car around Hayes somehow managed to slip the leg irons off his legs.” The irons were later found in nearby bushes.

Davis added, “As he stood up as though he would enter the patrol car, instead Hayes turned and ran back inside the hospital.”

According to Davis, Hayes “was not handcuffed” and had “only leg irons on at the time.”

During his escape run through the hospital, Davis said Hayes began removing his jail clothing, and was so nonchalant he even took time to stop and speak with a hospital employee. Then he bolted and ran out and into the woods near the hospital.

During this time, Gaskin had immediately called BPD’s dispatch notifying them of what was taking place.

Because both of BPD’s K-9 dogs were unavailable. Albertville Police Department’s K-9 Officer John Siggers was asked to bring his dog, Recon, to the scene in an effort to locate the fleeing Hayes.

Davis said, Recon picked up Hayes’ scent around Henderson and (U.S. Highway) 431, but lost it.

Davis said he believed Hayes “might have been picked up by someone.”

Davis said he and “Boaz Investigator Gary Stanfield stayed out until 2-3 a.m. Saturday morning and went back out Saturday night checking out leads” in an effort to locate Hayes.

Davis strongly advises the public to avoid attempting to apprehend Hayes, a known drug user, if they should come into contact with him. Davis said while he doesn’t consider Hayes to be “armed and dangerous” he does consider him to be a “real desperate man who knows he will probably go back to prison for life.”

During the investigation following his escape, an acquaintance of Hayes said Hayes had stated he “was not going back to prison.”

Davis expected to obtain an additional felony warrant for escape in the second-degree on Monday.

This Davis re-emphasized, “Makes me think he is capable of anything.”

Hayes was arrested on Thursday at the Econ Lodge on U.S. Highway 431 South.

Upon arrival, officers Tony Frazier and Sgt. Ronald Quigley knocked on the door of the room believed occupied by Hayes. Repeated efforts to get Hayes to come out failed. Officers then forced their way into the room with the assistance of the Boaz Fire Department who pried the door open after management said there was no other way to open the door.”

In the meantime, Hayes was spotted trying to climb out a room window was subdued without further incident and arrested on seven failure to appear warrants and a warrant for resisting arrest in Boaz. He was taken to Boaz City Jail and placed on hold at the request of the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department that had two warrants on Hayes. One was a felony probation violation and a misdemeanor for resisting arrest.

Anyone having any information is asked to call the BPD at 593-5743 or 593-6812.