Kidnapping of State Correctional Officer: Details Released

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — A state prisoner’s armed escape from a work crew at a Polk County park Wednesday afternoon ended a few hours later in St. Petersburg. But not before he managed to kidnap a correctional officer, who would later make his own escape, officials said.

According to the Bartow Police Department, David L. Ross, 42, was part of a Florida Department of Corrections work crew that was assigned to the area of Mosaic Park, 2250 S. Floral Ave., in Bartow on Wednesday. Sometime around noon Oct. 19, Ross is accused of taking a small utility knife and threatening Officer Jeffrey Rexrode with it. Rexrode, who was unarmed at the time, was brought under Ross’ control, an email from the police department said.

Ross took the other work crew prisoners and secured them in a park facility before cuffing Rexrode with his own handcuffs, the email said. He then forced Rexrode into a city vehicle the crew had been using and took off from the area.

Bartow Police received a call about the escape at 12:17 p.m., the email noted. That call promoted an extensive search of the area by police and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

Police received information that Ross might be headed toward Pinellas County, the email said. Bartow officers tipped off Pinellas County law enforcement about that possibility.

Around 1:50 p.m., Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputies happened to spot the stolen vehicle. Ross was brought into custody without incident.

“Shortly thereafter, officers located the correctional officer at a local store, where he had escaped from the inmate's custody,” the email said. “The correctional officer was unharmed, with no reported injuries.”

Ross was taken to the Pinellas County Jail, pending charges by the Bartow Police Department.

According to police, Ross was serving time at the Polk Work Camp following his 2014 sentencing on numerous convictions, including multiple fraud charges and battery on a law enforcement officer. He had been scheduled for release in February 2019.

Ross now faces armed kidnapping of a correctional officer, armed robbery and burglary of a motor vehicle, aggravated assault of a correctional officer and escape charges.

The charges that led to Ross’ conviction were filed in Pinellas County, Florida Department of Corrections records show.

Photo courtesy of the Florida Department of Corrections