An Atmore man added to the charges already against him Friday night after escaping from the back of a patrol car and eluding law enforcement officers for several hours, before being found hiding in the top of a tree.

Curtis Eugene David Hayes, 22, 42 Randolph Ave., was picked up by an Escambia County Sheriff’s deputy on a felony grand jury indictment, according to Escambia County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mike Lambert.

“(Hayes) was in custody in the back of a patrol car after being arrested,” Lambert said. “He was being transported to Atmore Police Station where the deputy was picking up a second person that had been arrested. While they were in the process, this guy jumped out of the car and escaped on foot.”

Lambert said dog teams from Fountain Prison, as well as Camp Five road prison in Florida, were called in to aid in the search, which concluded between midnight and 12:30.

“This all started about 8 p.m., 8:30,” Lambert said. “And he was back in custody by around midnight. They found him only couple of blocks away, actually. He was in the top of tree about 15 feet off the ground.”

Lambert said Hayes only made things worse for himself by attempting to escape custody.

“He only added to coal to his fire,” he said.

Hayes was transported to the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton where he remains in jail on $5,000 bond. Lambert said he expects the bond to be revoked by the Escambia County District Attorney’s Office due to Hayes having been out on bond at the time of the incident. Hayes faces charges of attempting to elude on foot, escape in the third degree and resisting arrest.
Information on Hayes’ indictment was unavailable.