UPDATE: One Whitley Jail escapee in custody, the other considered ‘desperate and dangerous’

James Fields, above left, and Justin Cornett.

One of two men who escaped from the Whitley County Detention Center last Friday is in custody, and an intensive manhunt is still underway for the second man who police say should be considered “desperate” and “dangerous.”

James Fields, 42, of Corbin and Justin Cornett, 24, of Gray broke free from the jail Friday evening by allegedly jamming a lock on a kitchen door while on work detail.

The incident was reported to the Whitley County 911 Dispatch Center shortly after 6:00 p.m.

At around 1:30 a.m. Saturday morning, police had cornered Fields in a wooded area in the Mt. Morgan community, and soon thereafter recaptured him. Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird said the inmate had gone there to visit his girlfriend.

Deputy jailers spotted Fields near an apartment complex in the area, and a short foot pursuit ensued. He ran into a wooded area and lost authorities, but only temporarily.

“We converged on him and set up a perimeter. We had him contained in the woods,” said Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird. “Our K9 unit and the state police went into the woods and our dog tracked right to him.”

Bird said Fields was lying in a creek bed and had to be taken into custody by force because he was “very uncooperative and non-compliant” with police.

“It was a pretty tense situation for a few minutes,” Bird said. “He wouldn’t show his hands. We had to physically get him under control.”

Fields was charged with resisting arrest, terroristic threatening and first-degree escape.

Bird said authorities were initially working under the assumption the Fields and Cornett were still together, but later found out they split shortly after escaping from the jail.

Cornett is still on the run, and authorities believe he broke into the Kentucky State Highway garage in Savoy shortly after escaping and stole a 2003 Ford work truck sometime after midnight early Saturday morning.

“We are confident it was him,” Bird said. “He used to be a work release inmate there so he was very familiar with the place. He took some money out of the office and stole a key to the truck out of the key panel. He knew what he was doing.”

The break-in was reported by highway garage employees at around 11:00 a.m. Saturday. Bird said police used an on-board GPS tracking system installed in the truck to determine its location. It was discovered on Phelps School Road in Laurel County near an apartment complex where Cornett’s mother lives.

“His mother actually lives 500 yards from where the truck was abandoned,” Bird said. “We talked to people there and got confirmation he was at the apartment complex, but he did not make contact with his mother. She wasn’t home at the time.”

Bird said Cornett has numerous family members who live in Keavy and Corbin, and a sister who lives in Knox County. Police are following up with all of them to determine if he has made any contact. Also, authorities say he has connections in Georgia and Texas as well, but believe he is still in the area.

Police and Whitley County Detention Center officials are currently reviewing video surveillance regarding the escape. Bird said it isn’t precisely clear yet how the two men got out of the facility. They were in the kitchen area at the time. He said Fields can be seen grabbing a knife, and Cornett grabbed some type of large metal stirring object before escaping.

The knife has been accounted for, but police say Cornett can be seen on video carrying the other utensil.

Bird said Cornett, who was in jail on charges of burglary, resisting arrest, a parole violation and drug offense, should be considered dangerous.

“He was in jail for some pretty serious felonies and he’s looking at a lot of time,” Bird said. “He’s desperate and dangerous. He doesn’t want to go back.”

Fields was in jail for terroristic threatening, identity theft, being a fugitive from another state and failure to appear in court on other charges. He entered an Alford Plea in Whitley County previously for second-degree assault and had received a seven-year prison sentenced, probated for five years provided he receive mental health counseling. The case involved a drunken gathering where Fields assaulted his girlfriend and brother with a machete.