Maryland News Crew Spots Escaped Inmate While Doing Story On Him

Thanks to a news crew from WBAL, an escaped prisoner named Randy Morris was arrested in Maryland. The crew had spotted Morris while working on a story about him.

Prison Bus Escape

Photographer Mac Finney quickly called the police, who were able to track Morris down to a wooded area in Anne Arundel County. Morris had escaped custody earlier that day from a prison van and was serving 10 years for burglary.

"I was in the car, editing the story for 5 p.m., and I just happened to look up from my laptop, and I saw Mr. Morris," Finney said. "He gave me his name, and at the time, I was calling 911. I got 911 on the horn, and when he realized I was talking to 911, he started running a little bit through this parking garage."

-WBAL photographer Mac Finney

 

The experience was surreal for Finney, who had never encountered anything like this in his 40 years of being a photojournalist.

"This has never happened to me in 40-some years of covering thousands of news stories."

Morris had given his name before taking off and was later found by the police near Market Place and Baltimore Street.

Investigation

An investigation is still ongoing regarding Morris's escape. The police stated that Morris was part of a group of five prisoners being transported to a medical appointment and had managed to escape the van when it stopped in traffic on Route 32. The other four inmates were still in the van and accounted for, and no injuries had been reported.

Figuring Out The Escape

The police are working with the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to determine how Morris was able to escape and are currently focused on bringing him back into custody.