Nude jail escapee captured by Sheriff’s deputy in Cumberland River

A Woodbine man, who escaped after court Monday afternoon and jumped into the Cumberland River in an attempt to elude authorities, was naked when authorities were finally able to apprehend him about 15 minutes later near the edge of the river.

Whitley County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy K.Y. Fuson said that it was fortunate the escape happened at shift change because five deputies were in the office working on paperwork when James A Fields took off.

About 4:15 p.m., deputy jailers were leading Fields, 40, out of the courthouse after circuit court when he took off fleeing from officers.

Sgt. Shawn Jackson looked out the window about that time and announced, "an inmate is running off," Fuson noted. "We all headed out the door, and he ran over and jumped into the river."

Fields ran behind Croley Funeral Home off Second Street about one block from the courthouse, and jumped in the river.
Sheriff’s deputies and Williamsburg police positioned themselves on both sides of the riverbank, and Williamsburg Fire and Rescue brought their boat down and put it in the water near the First Street boat ramp.

"He was hollering, ‘Hey, I’m drowning! Help me!’ when the police would get close to him," Fuson said. "Then he would quit and dog paddle some more."

By then Fuson had snuck down the riverbank on the downtown side waiting and hoping Fields would come out near him.

"I knew if he got out, it would be another foot chase, and I didn’t want to take a chance on him out running me," Fuson said.

"He got to the edge and was taking a break. He turned around and looked. When he did, I ran off the bank, jumped in the river and grabbed him. He was naked."

Fields apparently took off his clothes sometime when he was in the river. His clothes were wrapped around his handcuffs, which were still on his wrists in front of his body when he was caught.

Fields was turned back over to the custody of Whitley County Jailer Ken Mobley, who indicated that Fields would be charged with escape, Fuson said.

Fuson said that once he got a hold of Fields, he didn’t have to fight him.

"He and I had a pleasant conversation on the way back," Fuson said. "I just told him, ‘Don’t try to run again. I don’t want to hurt you.’"

About 15 to 20 people, including police officers and fire fighters, were involved in the search to apprehend Fields.
The chase caused quite a stir during an otherwise routine day at the courthouse.

Whitley County Clerk Kay Schwartz said she and her deputy clerks were sitting in their office, which is across the hall from the sheriff’s department, when they heard the commotion.

"All of the sudden we heard what sounded like a heard of horses running through," Schwartz said. "It was the policemen chasing an inmate. We didn’t know it was an inmate at the time because we didn’t see him, but we saw the policemen running chasing him. It was quite a commotion."

Fields is currently serving a five-month jail sentence for calling Whitley District Judge Cathy Prewitt a name that rhymes with witch during a court appearance last month.

The grand jury indicted him Monday morning on two counts of second-degree assault in connection with a July 16 incident involving a machete.

Fields was originally charged with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of first-degree assault and fleeing or evading police in connection with the incident.

Fields contends that the whole thing was an accident, and the victims, including Sandra Shelton and Adam Anderson, who is Fields’ brother, have asked that the charges be dismissed.

About 2 a.m. on July 16, Whitley County Sheriff’s Deputy Tim Baker responded to a residence at 146 Mitchell Hill Road in regards to a complaint that Anderson and Shelton were assaulted with a machete.

"We were all drinking that night. Everybody was having a good time," Fields said during an interview last month. "My brother and his girlfriend started arguing because she thought my brother and my girlfriend were sleeping together.

"I knew better. My brother told me they never had, and my girlfriend told me that they never had."

Fields said that he got tired of them arguing, and got the machete to scare everyone and stop the argument.

"I had the machete. I’m not right in my head. I was going to scare everybody," he said.

Fields told them, "’You all stop or I’m going to cut everybody up.’"I was just playing around, but they called my bluff and started after me."

Fields said that he tried to get away from them, and jumped up on a chair.

"When I came around, I got my brother across the nose, and got Sandy, then everybody went ballistic and it got out of hand,"

Fields said. "It was all an accident. It got carried away and out of hand. There was no malicious intent."
At that point, Fields said he dropped the machete.

Fields said that he asked his brother what he should do, and his brother told him just to leave and run.

"Everybody was flipping out," he added.

Shelton and Anderson agreed that the incident was an accident.

Shelton said she thinks the reason she got cut is because she was trying to get the machete from Fields.

Shelton had to get seven stitches on the outside of her arm, and three stitches to the inside of her arm.

Officers involved in the search Monday afternoon included: Fuson, Jackson, Sheriff’s Lt. Dennis Foley, Cpl. Ken Shepherd, Deputy Cody Fuson, Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird, Assistant Chief Rick Mosley and Officer Brandon White.