SANTA ROSA COUNTY

SHERIFF'S OFFICE

Sheriff Wendell Hall

Major Search Underway for Escaped Georgia Prisoner in Santa Rosa County

A major search has been taking place in Santa Rosa County this afternoon after a prisoner overpowered a Crisp County Georgia Sheriff's Deputy and stole the police vehicle. Shortly after 3pm , Santa Rosa Sheriff's Deputies were contacted by the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office about the incident. The incident began when a Crisp County Sheriff's Deputy was transporting a wanted prisoner back to Georgia from Houston , Texas . When the Crisp County Deputy stopped at the I-10 Holt Exit in Okaloosa County , the prisoner was able to take the deputies pepper spray and spray the deputy. The prisoner then jumped into the front seat of the police car and fled the scene. The deputy was able to fire a shot from his service weapon, striking the windshield of the police car. The suspect was identified as Eugene Smith, B/M, 33 years old, and was in leg shackles at the time of the incident. The suspect has feminine features and could be mistaken for a female. The police vehicle fled into the direction of Santa Rosa County on Highway 90.

At approximately 5 pm , law enforcement officers discovered the abandoned police car, wrecked in a wooded area off of Leonard Barnes Road in the Floridale area of Santa Rosa County . Law enforcement is currently searching a large wooded area with helicopters and K-9 in an attempt to locate the individual. Numerous agencies are on scene, to include the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office, Walton County Sheriff's Office, Escambia County Sheriff's Office, Florida Highway Patrol, DOT State Law Enforcement, U.S. Marshal's Service, Crestview Police Department, Florida Wildlife Commission, Department of Corrections, and a top ranking officer from the Crisp County Sheriff's Office in Georgia. The search will continue until the suspect is located. It is possible that the suspect is no longer in leg shackles due to having access to a handcuff key in the patrol vehicle. No other information is known at this time.

Press Release By:

Sgt. Scott Haines

Media Relations Unit

(850) 981-2136 or shaines@srso.net