One Inmate Dead, Another Recaptured After Escaping From Delaware County Jail

NewsOn6.com

JAY, Oklahoma -- One Delaware County jail inmate is dead and another is back behind bars after they escaped Wednesday evening by overpowering two jailers.

Delaware County Sheriff's Office Captain Ron Teel says the escape happened just after 6 p.m. as the jailers were feeding the inmates their dinner.

Teel says as the deputies entered a jail cell, two inmates overpowered the jailers.

"There was three guards, three jailers on duty. Two of them were injured and taken on, and the other was just subdued, and placed in handcuffs by the jailer, I mean by the escapees," said Captain Ron Teel, Delaware County Sheriff's Office.

Teel says the inmates used a homemade club and assaulted the jailers. After running out of the jail, their stole a Jeep and a handgun in the Jeep belonging to one of the jailers and drove away.

Jay Police and sheriff's deputies spotted the Jeep on state Highway 59, south of Jay and a chase ensued.

Speeds during the chase reached 80 miles per hour at the time.

Shots were exchanged between the inmates and deputies during the chase.

When the Jeep did finally stop, Teel says one of the inmates was pronounced dead at the scene from a self inflicted gunshot. The other inmate surrendered.

The jailers were taken to the hospital in Jay and then flown by medical helicopter to Joplin for observation.

The jailers will be placed on routine administrative leave with pay, pending the results of an investigation by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation

Names of the jailers or the inmates have not been released.