Escapee Apprehended
The White County Sheriff’s Department was busy Friday as they worked with the U.S. Marshal’s Service searching for two escapees from the Wood River Correctional Facility.
According to the sheriff’s Facebook page, a person matching the description of one of the escapees reportedly had been seen in this area.
Sgt. Craig Poole and Sheriff Doug Maier responded to the scene and spoke with a subject who alerted authorities to an area where someone was laying in the field.
Poole and Maier approached the individual, placing him in custody and then called an ambulance because the subject was cold and delusional.
The subject was identified as Timothy J. Kerr, one of the escaped inmates. He was transported by the White County Ambulance Service to Fairfield Memorial Hospital for treatment.
The Marshal’s Service took custody of Kerr at the hospital.
Later, Poole was notified that a Tara Keown (cow-un) had come up in the investigation concerning one of the escapees; Eric B. Willett. The other escapee, Timothy Kerr had already been apprehended.
Poole met the Keown vehicle, which turned onto County Road 700 East without using a turn signal. Poole attempted to stop the vehicle, which continued north and across a set of railroad tracks. At that time, Poole noticed a red bag was thrown from the passenger side of the vehicle.
Sgt. Poole notified backup about the bag, which was discovered and found to contain methamphetamine, weighing scales, drug paraphernalia, clear plastic baggies, several pills, needles and a metal spoon with burnt residue.
The vehicle continued about another quarter mile north before stopping.
At that time, Sheriff Maier and Carmi Police Officer Johnathan Lucas arrived on scene.
Keown was found to have an outstanding warrant in Saline County. She was placed under arrest on the warrant, plus possession of meth, possession of drug paraphernalia and manufacture or delivery of methamphetamine.
