Prisoner Found, Arrested In GA After Escaping Dakota County Custody

GEORGIA — A prisoner was found and arrested after he escaped the custody of Dakota County deputies while in the state of Georgia.

Last week, two deputies traveled to Bulloch County, Georgia to take custody of 35-year-old Joseph H. Baynes on a Dakota County complaint warrant for felony harassment.

The deputies took custody of Baynes at the Bulloch County jail at about 11:45 a.m. Thursday.

While driving him to Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, Baynes "managed to escape custody," authorities said, revealing no other details.

Local, state, and federal agents searched for Baynes in a "heavily wooded area" on airport property for several hours but did not find him, according to investigators.

Baynes was eventually caught at 4 p.m. on Friday, authorities said.

The deputies were not injured in the incident. Baynes did not have any weapons at the time, according to investigators.

Before Baynes was found, the Bulloch County Sheriff's Office released the following statement on the incident:

Sheriff Brown would like to clarify some misinformation that is being released by some media outlets. Joseph H. Baynes is wanted out of Dakota County Minnesota on felony stalking charges. Baynes, who was in custody at the Bulloch County Jail, signed a waiver of extradition to return to Minnesota to answer to those charges. Baynes was turned over to officials from Minnesota this morning for transport. At some point while at the Savannah/Hilton Head Airport Baynes escaped custody. At no time were there any law enforcement officials from the Bulloch County Sheriff's Office involved in the incident at the airport. Hope this clarifies that Baynes did not escape custody of the Bulloch County Sheriff's Office.

Patch has reached out to the Dakota County Sheriff's Office for comment.