Sheriff: Escaped Inmate In Custody

The man who escaped from a Lancaster jail on Monday was captured in Fayette County Wednesday night.

Jeremiah Searles was taken into custody at about 7:15 p.m. following a traffic stop by sheriff’s deputies.

The Fayette County Sheriff said that Searles, 31, was detained at a Sunoco station off of Interstate 71 near state Route 38 at the Midway exit, 10TV’s Jason Frazer reported.

Fairfield County Sheriff Dave Phalen said that Searles was stopped by Fayette sheriff’s deputies because the car Searles was in matched the description of a car that investigators were searching for in connection with the escape.

Phalen said that deputies found Searles, who had injuries consistent with an escape and initially said he was Searles’ twin brother, as well as another man and a woman thought to be Searles’ girlfriend.

The man and women in the car also were taken into custody, Frazer reported.

10TV spoke with Searles as he was being taken to jail in Washington Court House on Wednesday night.

“I didn’t hurt anybody,” Searles said. “Might have wasted some peoples’ time. I only hurt myself.”

Searles said that he was wearing a wig at the time of his arrest.

“I had a wig on, but I just play around with wigs,” Searles said.

Lois Larkins, a clerk at the Sunoco, said that Searles looked like any other customer.

“He had on a black cap, and apparently it must have been a wig attached to it, because I didn’t recognize him as anybody,” Larkins said.

Searles was pumping gas as police were getting ready to move in, Frazer reported.

“Next thing we know, the parking lot is full of police,” Larkins said.

Jo Ross said that she witnessed the arrest.

“They had their Tasers and stuff on him,” Ross said. “I don’t know if they thought he was going to run or what.”

Larkins said that she did not expect Searles’ capture to happen at the gas station.

“We’re out in the middle of nowhere,” Larkins said. “You don’t expect anything like this.”

At the time of the Monday escape, Searles was being held on falsification charges and a felony warrant for probation violation in connection with a Deviate Sexual Assault charge, 10TV News reported.

Phalen said that Searles would be extradited from Fayette County to Fairfield County to face charges, 10TV News reported.

Searles was expected in court on Thursday.

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