In Lauderdale County, a trustee from the detention center made a daring escape on Thursday afternoon while on a work detail at the Florence Lauderdale Coliseum. The escapee, identified as James Hoyt Powell, absconded from his assigned task at approximately 1:15 PM. After a search effort, authorities successfully located Powell at the Florence Mall around 4:30 PM.
Powell’s escapade has escalated his legal troubles, as he now not only faces the consequences of his initial charges of fraudulent use of a credit card, public intoxication, and bail jumping but also a new felony escape charge. The incident has raised concerns about the security protocols at the detention center and the supervision of trustees during work assignments. Authorities are expected to review and potentially revise procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future.