Deputy fired, two other senior officials on leave in connection with escaped inmate
By Erin Lowrey
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Louisiana (WDSU) — A Tangipahoa Parish deputy has been fired after an inmate escaped a court transport Monday.
According to the sheriff’s office, the deputy, who has not been named, was terminated and two other senior-level employees were suspended in connection with Donnie Stevenson’s escape.
The sheriff’s office said Stevenson, who also escaped custody last year, was in a group with six inmates and was being escorted out of the courthouse by one deputy.
When the group exited the back door to load up into the transport van, Stevenson remained by the back door.
The transport deputy escorting the group was accused of not conducting an appropriate headcount when loading the van.
According to the sheriff’s office, the deputy drove out of the loading dock area without Stevenson.
Stevenson waited at the back door until the van was gone and then climbed over the loading dock gate, according to the sheriff.
The sheriff’s office also determined that jail staff raised awareness about Stevenson’s court hearing and requested a special transport for him to two levels of upper-chain-of-command personnel. The request was not followed through by either of those administrators, according to the sheriff.
The sheriff’s office said the deputy over the jail transport was fired, and for now, the two senior-level supervisors have been suspended for the remainder of this week.
According to the sheriff, a revision to courthouse staffing assignments is currently underway, a new protocol for high-risk inmates is already in effect, new restraints for high-risk inmates are being acquired and the Tangipahoa Parish government is actively making alterations to the loading dock gate.
About the escape: An inmate housed at Angola for escaping from the Tangipahoa courthouse in December was rebooked on new charges after escaping again from the courthouse on Monday.
Donnie Stevenson, 19, has been charged with one count of simple escape after he was allegedly seen climbing over the loading dock gate at the back of the parish courthouse in Amite.
TPSO deputies and Amite police immediately began a search of the area, and Stevenson was eventually found hiding under a truck one block from the courthouse near Duncan Avenue and Mulberry Street, concluding the 30-minute search effort.
Stevenson was awaiting trial for first-degree rape, aggravated kidnapping, armed robbery and illegal possession of stolen property.
He has been housed at Angola since December, when he briefly escaped the courthouse under similar circumstances.
TPSO said he will be transported back to Angola following processing for this incident.
One deputy has been placed on administrative leave as the investigation into the incident continues.
TPSO also said it is working with the parish government to increase the security features of the courthouse loading dock area.
According to the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office, the escape happened during a transport.
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