>Jeffrey Alderton
The Cumberland Times-News Thu Feb 03, 2011, 07:51 AM EST
OAKLAND — The escape of an inmate from the Garrett County Detention Center on Jan. 23 will be formally investigated by the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, according to Garrett County Sheriff Rob Corley.
“I have requested the state to investigate, and I have verbal confirmation that the agency will do the investigation,” said Corley.
Deandre Kelly, 29, of Washington, D.C., escaped from the lockup after he “produced an object believed to be a handgun and forced the officers to release an exit door,” according to the sheriff’s office in a press release that announced the escape. The media received notification of the escape in the early morning hours of Jan. 24.
Two correctional officers involved in the incident were not injured. No formal action has been taken against the officers. The incident has been under investigation from the outset by the sheriff’s office. Corley indicated late last week that an independent agency was asked to become involved in the investigation. Tuesday, he told the Times-News that the DPSCS would formally investigate the escape.
