MANSFIELD — An inmate that was mistakenly released from the Richland County Jail has been recaptured after a standoff with police in Huntsville, Alabama.
Cornelius J. Phillips and his girlfriend Dasia Crutcher were arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service after barricading themselves for 90 minutes in his mother’s Huntsville, Alabama home, according to Lt. Michael Johnson with the Huntsville Police Department. Huntsville Police assisted in Phillips’ capture.
“When we arrived, we used all our resources, set up commander stations and began those procedures,” Johnson said. “He surrendered mainly due to our negotiators that were on scene.”
Johnson said Phillips and Crutcher surrendered peacefully, and confirmed that the U.S. Marshals also took his girlfriend into custody.
The Richland County Sheriff’s Office issued nationwide warrants for Phillips for escape, a second-degree felony, Dasia Crutcher and Checkiah E. Washington Jr. for Escape/Complicity also a second-degree felony. Washington was arrested on Sept. 10 and is being held in the Richland County Jail on a $50,000 Cash Bond.
According to a press release from Richland County Sheriff Steve Sheldon, Phillips and Crutcher will be returned to the Richland County Jail.
Sheldon praised the U.S. Marshals for aggressively working on the apprehension of these dangerous fugitives.
“The two correctional officers and a correctional sergeant remain on administrative leave over the incident as the internal investigation concludes,” Sheldon said in the press release. “A pre-disciplinary hearing is scheduled for the employees on Sept. 24.”
Phillips was mistakenly released from the Richland County Jail on Sept. 4 at approximately 5:30 p.m., according to a press release from the Richland County Sheriff’s Office.
Upon leaving the facility, video showed the 22-year-old Phillips heading south on foot from the jail. Surveillance footage from a nearby building was used to establish Phillips is believed to have been picked up by an individual driving a blue Hyundai Sonata, authorities said.
Phillips was originally jailed on charges of possession of drugs, expired operator’s license, endangering children and falsification. He had been arrested on Aug. 29 by the Mansfield Police Department.
