Update on Prisoner Arthur Lavel Jones Escape

LIBERTY, December 27, 2004 – During an interview on Monday morning, Captain Billy Tidwell of the Liberty County Sheriff’s Department updated i-dineout.com on the escape of two prisoners from the Old Jail in Liberty early Christmas Day.

According to Captain Tidwell, prisoners Arthur Lavel Jones and Anthony Fowler were painting the lobby of the Old Jail, which is not an area where prisoners are kept, but in fact the public lobby used by persons entering the jail to visit prisoners. The door to the lobby was locked. The guard went to check on someone else and the escaped prisoners kicked the door open and left.

They were located a short time latter off National Pipe and Tube Road in the South Liberty Oilfield by City of Liberty Police Officer Scott Mouton. Anthony Fowler was taken into custody and Jones put up a struggle and fled into the woods.

Helicopters from the Coast Guard and the Texas Department of Public Safety were employed in the search.

Liberty County Sheriff Greg Arthur led the search on horseback assisted by TDJC tracking dogs. Jones was not able to be located.

The search in the immediate areas was called off when it was determined Jones was no longer in the area.

Currently the department is following leads, making contact with known associates and relatives as part of the continued search.

Arthur Lavel Jones is described as a black male, age 32, 5'-11" tall, weighing 190 lbs. Jones is possibly armed with a small caliber handgun and should be considered armed and dangerous.

The search continues this morning. A meeting will be held Monday morning to regroup and review all the information obtained by investigators since the search began.

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