Off-duty officer catches escaped inmate

A Danville man is back in custody after an off-duty Hartselle police officer caught the suspect around Danville High School where he escaped during an inmate transfer Tuesday afternoon.

Rocky Alton Hood

Rocky Alton Hood, 26, of 8123 Hwy 36 in Danville was arrested and will be charged with third-degree escape.

The Hartselle Police Department took Hood into custody on arrests warrants from Lawrence County and a jailer had transported Hood to Danville High School to meet with Lawrence County Deputies to transfer custody.

Hood was able to slip out of handcuffs and escape from the jailer on foot at approximately 2:43 p.m.

Lt. James Holladay of Hartselle PD was off duty and spotted Hood in the same area as he had escaped from the jailer in Danville.

Public Information Officer Lt. Justin Barley said Holladay cornered the suspect in the wood line and waited for backup.

“A Morgan County K-9 unit was deployed and apprehended the suspect a short time later at approximately 6:30 p.m,” Barley said in an email. “With the assistance of the canine, no officers were injured during the incident.”