Three local residents nabbed for short-lived jail escape

Freedom was short-lived for two suspects who escaped jail custody Tuesday morning, leading to the lockdown of a Barbourville school.

According to Knox Detention Center Deputy Jailer Sheila Brown, two suspects were being walked from Knox District Court to the jail when they suddenly fled on foot.

"Just as we got them to the front door, they ran off," Brown said, adding that deputy jailer Shelby Johnson pursued the male suspect, identified as 26-year-old Jason Sutton of Corbin, and was able to catch him on West Knox Street.

Units from Kentucky State Police, Barbourville City Police, and the Knox County Sheriff’s Department responded and began a manhunt for the second suspect, identified as 20-year-old Tifffany Marie Elliott. Elliott had fled the jail area headed down High Street, according to police.

Among those responding was Knox Deputy Mike Smith. Smith said that police received a tip from the Subway Restaurant on Knox Street that something was suspicious, reporting that Elliott got into a black pickup truck with a male suspect.
Police were able to soon locate the truck on College Street.

Barbourville Police Lt. Det. Mike Broughton said that when they pulled the truck over, Elliott was hiding in the floor.

The driver of the truck, 23-year-old Justin Dodd of Rockholds, had picked Elliott up.

"She said he didn’t know about the escape and that she called him from a pay phone. We believe it was planned," Smith added.

Knox County Attorney Charley Greene Dixon said Sutton and Elliott were in court for sentencing after they failed to successfully complete drug court. Dixon said the two had just been sentenced to a year in jail only minutes before they tried to escape.
In addition to contempt of court charges, the two now face second-degree escape charges. Second-degree escape is a Class D felony, punishable by one to five years in jail.

For his role in the incident, Dodd was charged with first-degree hindering apprehension/prosecution and complicity to escape.