LINCOLN COUNTY, Wash. – New surveillance footage from the Lincoln County Jail shows the moments leading up to when an inmate escaped on Friday.
Video shows Ronald Rutledge, 44, running out of the county jail and getting into a jail employees car. Just before he takes off, you can see him walking in and out of a door that was propped open. The Lincoln Sheriff's Office said this sort of thing only happened once before at this facility when an inmate was washing cars and took off. Sheriff Wade Magers said the jail superintendent usually decides if these types of criminals are able to become inmate workers under supervision.
The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office met with U.S. Marshals Monday afternoon to help with the search for Rutledge. Lincoln County Sheriff's deputies, with help from the U.S. Marshals, will expand their search region Monday. Officials said Rutledge was able to slip out a two mile by two mile radius they enclosed him in over the weekend.
Deputies said on Sunday they have scoured the area north of Reardan with air support for 48 straight hours. They said they still have a couple deputies searching the area and they were not going to stop.
Anyone who spots Rutledge is asked to call 911 as he is considered armed and dangerous. The Lincoln County Sheriff is asking people who live in the area to lock their doors.
Lincoln Co. Sheriff's Office employees said a bus driver reportedly spotted Rutledge Friday in Spokane County near Jacobs and Wood Road. Officials said Rutledge was last seen wearing a blue coat and a green beanie hat. Authorities said they set up a containment area of two square miles north of Reardan. Previously, authorities said he was last seen North of Bergeron, West of State Route 231, and South of Fisher Road.
Deputies said Rutledge escaped the jail when he was working kitchen duty around 8:30 a.m. Lincoln County Sheriff's Office representatives said he managed to steal a jail employee's car keys while she was taking out the garbage. Rutledge then stole her vehicle and ditched it near Highway 231 and Zeimentz Road. Rutledge then broke into a home and stole an ATV according to authorities. Authorities said Rutledge also stole a rifle when he took the ATV. They said he later ditched that ATV and ran off on foot.
Rutledge was booked into the Lincoln Co. Jail on September 1 for burglary and auto theft. A SWAT-like team from the Department of Corrections said they were searching for him in the area.
The Friday escape is not the first for Ronald Alan Rutledge. He ran away from the Whitman County jail in November 2010 at the age of 29. Deputies told KREM 2 News he ran off while doing yard work outside at the jail. Rutledge had 18 days left on his four month burglary sentence when he took off. Sheriff Magers said they were not aware Rutledge had escaped before.
Rutledge's sister Sandra she he called the family the day after the escaped and she turned him in. She said this time no one has heard from him and she is worried.
"I'm angry he made such a stupid choice but at the same time, stupid is as stupid does and he's going to do what he's going to do no matter what," said Sandra.
Sheriff Magers said security at the jail has always been tight and feels this was a breach in the system they are now looking into to see how this happened.
Citizens are advised to remain observant and contact Lincoln County Sheriff's at 509-725-3501 or 911 if they spot Rutledge.
