An inmate who overpowered jail staff and escaped from the Greene County Jail last week was captured on Monday.
Officials with the Greene County Sheriff’s Office announced that Eric Washington, 23, of Eutaw was found in a railroad car in Boligee just after 1 p.m. According to a release by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Washington was armed, but was taken into custody without incident. Authorities said they found Washington as the result of a tip.
“Capturing Washington was a collective effort of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s State Bureau of Investigation, the Greene County Sheriff’s Department, as well as ALEA’s Aviation Unit, the U.S. Marshals, the 17th Judicial Task Force, the Department of Corrections K-9 tracking team and local law enforcement agencies from neighboring jurisdictions,” the release stated.
The Greene County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Marshals Office last week announced they were combining to increase the reward being offered for information leading to Washington’s location.
According to Greene County Sheriff Joe Benison, his department will be matching the $5,000 reward offered by the US Marshall’s office for a total reward of $10,000.
Washington was an inmate at the Greene County Jail on Tuesday, August 16, when he overpowered members of the jail staff at about 9 p.m., taking their keys and then fleeing the jail on foot. Law enforcement agencies throughout the area assisted in searching for Washington following the breakout. Jail personnel involved were not injured, according to the sheriff’s office.
Washington was originally arrested by the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation and charged with the attempted murder of a law enforcement officer. According to reports, a deputy was injured by glass when Washington shot at his vehicle. Washington was recently sentenced to 30 years in state prison and, according to Greene County officials, was within days of being transferred to that facility when he broke out of the Greene County Jail.