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A4 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 7 May 2022
Sheriff: Car linked to Alabama escapee, jail worker found

By JAY REEVES ons were found in the car,
Associated Press indicating that the two are
The getaway vehicle used still armed, said Singleton.
by a man wanted for mur- "My gut is telling me they
der in Alabama and the are obviously on the run,"
jail official suspected of he said.On the day the pair
helping him escape after disappeared, Vicky White,
a "jailhouse romance" was 56, told her coworkers that
found in an impound lot in the 38-year-old inmate
Tennessee, where it sat for needed to go to the court-
nearly a week before au- house for a mental health
thorities realized they had evaluation. She was escort-
it, officials said Friday. ing the inmate alone — a vi-
Sheriff Rick Singleton of Lau- olation of the sheriff's office
derdale County, Alabama, policy. When she did not
told a news conference answer her phone or return
the Ford Edge with distinc- in the afternoon, authorities
tive burnt orange paint was realized the pair had gone
found on a roadside and missing. Authorities eventu-
towed the same day that ally learned that the evalu-
Casey White, charged with ation was never scheduled
murder, and former assis- and was just a charade to
tant corrections director allow Vicky White to sneak
Vicky White disappeared. U.S. Marshal Marty Keely speaks regarding Vicky White, Lauderdale County Assistant Director of Casey White out of the jail
The vehicle was found in a Corrections, and escaped inmate Casey White during a news conference outside of the Lauder- without suspicion.
rural area off Interstate 65 dale County Courthouse in Florence, Ala., Monday, May 2, 2022. The two left in a patrol car,
about 100 miles (about 160 Associated Press which was found aban-
kilometers) from the jail in doned nearby in a park-
Florence, Alabama. white supremacist tattoos. on anyone," he said. ing to determine whether ing lot where investigators
Authorities in Williamson He and Vicky White ap- The Williamson County any vehicles had been re- believe Vicky White had
County, Tennessee, real- peared to have had a "jail- Sheriff's Office said the ve- ported missing in the area parked a getaway car.
ized they had the vehicle house romance" before his hicle had been found in where the car was found, In the past week, authori-
Thursday night, which was escape, Singleton said. Bethesda and there was he said. ties have learned that
hours after U.S. Attorney "They found the car before no indication the two re- "We're sort of back to Vicky White purchased an
General Merrick Garland we even knew they were mained in the area. square one with a vehicle array of weapons, includ-
said the two, who aren't gone," said Singleton. Some A nationwide manhunt has description," said Singleton, ing an AR-15 rifle in January
related, are "regarded as of Vicky White's belongings been ongoing since the adding at one point: "We're and a shotgun two weeks
extremely dangerous," and were found in the vehicle, pair disappeared April 29. behind where we'd like to before the escape. They
the U.S. Marshals Service which someone had at- Casey White was await- be." The two likely had me- also believe she has a 9
has taken over leading the tempted to spray paint, he ing trial in a capital murder chanical problems with the mm handgun with her and
search. said. case and Vicky White was car and left it where it was have received reports she
Officials have said they The tow truck driver who assistant director of correc- found in a remote area, may also have a .45 caliber
hoped Casey White's size hauled the vehicle to a lot tions for Lauderdale Coun- said Singleton. The sheriff handgun, a federal mar-
— 6-foot-9 and 340 pounds likely saw news coverage ty. She appears to have said he was worried for the shal said.
— would help lead to his about the escape and no- helped him plan and exe- safety of his former employ- Federal investigators be-
capture since it's hard for tified police in Tennessee, cute the escape, Singleton ee because Casey White is lieve they had been plan-
him to be inconspicuous. Singleton said. said. "volatile" and could turn on ning the escape for at least
He also has identifiable "There's no fault or blame Authorities are now try- her at any time.No weap- several months. q

Former Parkland sheriff will head much smaller police force

MIAMI (AP) — The Florida sheriff will start Monday Parkland, saying the sheriff
sheriff ostracized for his and oversee 47 officers. displayed poor leadership
agency's response to the Broward's sheriff's office has and failed to keep children
high school massacre in about 5,600 employees, in- safe during the mass shoot-
Parkland that left 17 people cluding about 2,700 depu- ing.
dead will again be head- ties and about 700 firefight- DeSantis appointed Greg-
ing a law enforcement ers. ory Tony to take over the
agency as the police chief Israel said he was look- sheriff's office in Broward.
of a small South Florida mu- ing forward to serving the Then Tony beat Israel in the
nicipality. people of Opa-locka and Democratic primary for the
Former Broward County thanked God for the op- position in 2020 and went
Sheriff Scott Israel was portunity. on to win the general elec-
appointed police chief "I won't let you down," Israel tion.
of Opa-locka in an an- said Friday. In 2021, Israel was hired by
nouncement made by city Israel was removed from of- the police department in
manager Darvin Williams at fice by Gov. Ron DeSantis Davie, Florida, a municipal-
In this Oct. 21, 2019 file photo, former Broward County Sheriff a ceremony Friday. Opa- in 2019, nearly a year after ity in Broward County, to re-
Scott Israel appears before the Senate Rules Committee con- locka is part of Miami-Dade the February 2018 massa- view five red light cameras
cerning his dismissal by Gov. Ron DeSantis, in Tallahassee, Fla. County. cre at Marjory Stoneman and appear in court if any-
Associated Press
Williams said the former Douglas High School in one challenged a ticket.q