ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — An inmate hit a corrections officer with a shovel and stole his pickup truck in Orange County before crashing the vehicle in Lake County on Thursday afternoon, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said.
Investigators said Dalton Ayers, who was in the custody of the Central Florida Reception Center, stole the vehicle shortly before 1 p.m. at State Road 408 and North John Young Parkway.
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Deputies said a Sheriff’s Office helicopter spotted Ayers and followed him from a distance until he crashed shortly before 2 p.m. at County Road 470th West and County Road 33 in Okahumpka.
Investigators said Ayers was taken back into custody. They said the corrections officer had minor injuries.
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“These types of escapes are extremely rare,” the Florida Department of Corrections said in a statement. “The Department is committed to ensuring all inmates are supervised appropriately and security protocols at all facilities are followed to prevent escapes.”
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