A Jones County Sheriff’s Office inmate receiving treatment at what was believed to be a secure mental health facility escaped for a short time from a Macon hospital last weekend.
Daniel Ross Garrett was back in custody before lunch Saturday, April 4, according to Capt. Kenny Gleaton with the JCSO. The captain said Garrett was arrested in October and had been in the Jones County jail until he was taken to the River Edge facility March 27.
Garrett was arrested on charges of terroristic threats and acts and aggravated stalking. He was indicted by a Jones County Grand Jury Dec. 5. Gleaton said the October arrest was due to a violation of a stay away order with the victim, a Jones County resident. He said Garrett had remained in jail since his arrest.
The captain said during the recent investigation of an unrelated case, video evidence identified Garrett as a suspect. The case involved videos of minors, and based on that evidence, charges of unlawful surveillance were added against him.
Gleaton said Garrett is facing similar charges in Butts County. He said after finding out about the new charges, the inmate made suicidal statements and attempted to harm himself. As a result, he was transported to the secure River Edge facility on Fulton Mill Road in Macon for mental health treatment.
Gleaton attributed the escape to a breakdown in communication with the mental health facility. He said Garrett complained of chest pains April 3 and was taken to Piedmont and then Atrium Hospital, but the JCSO was not informed of the transport.
“At some point he left the hospital. We were not notified until 8 a.m.
April 4,” Gleaton said. “As soon as we heard, we put the information on GCIC, notified local agencies and secured an escape warrant.”
The captain said if the JCSO had been notified of the transport, a deputy would have been sent to the hospital.
Gleaton said he, Sgt. Chris Patterson, Investigator Barron Hall and Lt. Travis Walker went to downtown Macon to begin searching for Garrett. He said they believed he was on foot and could not get far.
The captain said Patterson spotted Garrett at the Marathon on Martin Luther King Boulevard, but Garrett also saw the sergeant.
Patterson chased Garrett along the railroad tracks but suffered a fall during the pursuit.
Gleaton said he saw the suspect at the corner of Walnut and Seventh Street. The captain said he got out with him and ordered him to the ground. When Garrett did not comply, he attempted to subdue him but was not able to get him into custody.
It was at that point the captain deployed his taser and got him under control.
“Now he has escape added to his charges,” Gleaton said.
The captain has a few scrapes from the encounter, and he said Garrett was treated for scratches and cuts, which are the type received when running through bushes.
“Once we got him back to Jones County, he started making the selfharm statements again. He is now receiving treatment in a more secure facility,” Gleaton said.
The captain said he does not believe Garrett planned the escape but took advantage of the situation.
He also expressed his appreciation for the help of Bibb County officers.
