Elmore County Sheriff: Escaped Inmate Seen in Titus Community

Elmore Co. Sheriff Bill Franklin has confirmed to Alabama News Network that the inmate accused of escaping from the Coosa County Jail has been seen in the Titus community of Elmore County.

Franklin says 27-year-old Shane Anthony Vernon stole a dirt bike and was seen in the area. He says Vernon may have slept in someone’s shed on Grass Farm Road. Franklin says the family got up and went into the field, but when they returned, they found him in their home.
Franklin says Vernon held the husband, wife, and a 2-year-old at gunpoint, tied them up and put them in a closet. He then stole a silver Chrysler Pacifica and an undisclosed amount on cash. Franklin says deputies from Elmore and Coosa counties as well as state troopers and the Alabama Dept. of Corrections are looking for him.
Vernon has escaped custody in Coosa County for the second time in less than a month.  Coosa County Sheriff Terry Wilson says Vernon “physically circumvented the security of the jail and escaped the facility” on Sunday around 2:30 p.m.
Vernon had previously escaped Oct. 29 by forcibly removing his restraints and running while being booked into the county jail. He was recaptured the next day.
Wilson says Vernon is to be considered armed and dangerous. Vernon was being held on multiple felony charges, which according to online jail records, include burglary and auto theft.
(Copyright 2017 The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Categories: Crime, Montgomery Metro, News