Mobile, AL - Robbery Inmate Escapes With Alabama Department of Corrections Van - High Speed Chase
MOBILE, Ala.) March 18 -- An escape by an inmate from the Mobile Community
Work Release Center on Tuesday was short-lived. He was taken into custody less
than 12 hours later following three different high-speed car chases with law
officers.
Officials say it all began shortly after 5 a.m. Tuesday when the work release
van left the center to take inmates to their jobs in the community. The inmate,
Daniel Keith Ray II, 22, was the driver of the van and was last in contact with
the Alabama Department of Corrections around 6:10 a.m.
A short time later, prison officials alerted local law enforcement agencies
that Ray had apparently escaped and was driving the Department of Corrections
Community Work Release Cener van.
Mobile police officers on patrol spotted the vehicle around 1:30 p.m. near
Highway 90 and Carol Plantation Road. A chase of the van began, but police
decided to terminate the pursuit when it appeared there could be a danger to the
public's safety. A little while later, Mobile County Sheriff's deputies saw the
van and took up the pursuit. Ray was apprehended, however, officials have not
yet given details on how they were able to make the capture.
Officials with the Department of Corrections say Ray had been serving time for
robberies committed in September of 2006, for which he was sentenced to 5-years.
He was placed on work release in October of 2007. Because of his attempted
escape, it's likely the inmate will be returned to state prison and could be
given additional time.