Photo Courtesy of WCTV.
Wakulla
County Jail escapee, Dustin Swain.
Dustin Keith Swain led law enforcement Officials on a seven-hour chase through the woods in blazing heat conditions after escaping from the Wakulla County Jail Friday.
According to Wakulla County Sheriff Keith Blacmar, Swain, 29, escaped through an interior fence that had been tampered with and scaled another fence that was topped with wiring. Swain wearing no shirt or shoes escaped around 9 a.m.
“It was perfect timing and pure luck.” Said Blacmar.
Wakulla County Sheriff’s office, K-9 units from three panhandle correctional institutes, The Florida Highway Patrol and the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission were all active in the search for the escaped inmate.
K-9 units were out in pursuit of the escapee following strong leads in the direction that Dustin Swain may have traveled.
After hours of searching for Swain, he was captured 13 miles away from the jail in a wooded lot near Dan Miller Road and Highway 267.
“They covered a heck of a lot of territory between there and where we are now. And it’s hot as blaze out here.” Said Blacmar.
Officers were checking sheds at residential homes and flushed out Swain into a wooded area where he was captured.
Neighbors and nearby spectators were relieved as they had learned about Dustin Swain being brought back into custody.
A spectator, (whose name was asked to not be used) said, “It was only a matter of time before they would catch him and I’m glad they are putting him back into custody and off of the streets.”
He escaped while being under the supervision of one-armed guard in the observation tower. This guard was also monitoring several other groups of inmates in the jail’s recreation yard according to Sheriff Blacmar.
Swain was being held for violating probation for a previous burglary charge. He will now be charged with escape and burglary because he broke into a home during his brief time on the lam. Other charges could be pending, Blacmar said.