Columbus police locate vehicle which escaped inmate stole; inmate captured
A manhunt for an inmate who escaped from a Montgomery work release program has ended nearly 100 miles away in Columbus, Georgia.
Inmate Linwood Harris, who was serving a 15-year sentence in a Russell County, left from his assigned job at Maaco Paint and Body in Montgomery, Alabama on Tuesday, January 3, 2023, at approximately 5:35 pm. Harris was driving a stolen 2007 silver in color Infiniti G35, Alabama license plate 9918AB7.
A Be-on-the-Lookout was issued across several counties, including Lee County in Alabama and Muscogee County in Georgia.
Today, January 5, 2023, at 3:45 p.m., the Columbus Police Department was contacted by the Alabama Department of Corrections, requesting assistance in capturing Harris.
A Columbus Patrol Officer located the stolen car in the parking lot of the Lucky Food Mart on Floyd Road. Columbus Police Officers issued a Fugitive from Justice arrest warrant for Harris.
Officers from the Alabama Department of Corrections, Columbus Police Department, Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s State Bureau of Investigation then located Harris at a residence on the 2200 block of Mahan Drive. After verbal commands were given by officers, the escapee exited and surrendered without incident.
Harris was arrested and booked into the Muscogee County Jail where he is charged with being a Fugitive from Justice. “The charge is based on arrest warrants issued in Alabama related to his escape and theft of the vehicle,” police said. “It is expected that an extradition request will be made by Alabama officials and that process will be decided by judicial officials.”
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