Bullitt County inmate jumps barbed wire fence, briefly escapes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The barbed wire fence at the Bulitt County Detention Center is meant to keep inmates inside. But Sunday afternoon, Shepherdsville Police said Trevor Taylor was in the recreation yard and escaped.

"The initial lady that he stopped and asked for a ride said he had a few lacerations on his face," Shepherdsville Police Detective Casey Clark said. "He was bleeding just a little bit from his face."

Police said Taylor was wearing clothes issued from the jail, including a white thermal shirt, white boxers, white socks and black shoes. Then, he stopped a female driver.

"She stated this male had asked for a ride and stated to her he had just escaped the Bullitt County Jail or he had just escaped a jail," Clark said. "She, of course ,said 'No, I'm not giving you a ride.' Thankfully, she followed this individual down 480C and down to South Preston and she immediately called police."

Police said another woman called police after he went to her yard asking for a shirt. She called for her husband, and investigators said her husband came out and said he'd call the police. Taylor took off running.

The first call came in at 2:07 p.m. from the first woman who spotted Taylor. Then police said the jail did a head count at 2:29 p.m. and found out Taylor was missing. The jail said when it heard about the inmate sighting, it immediately put the jail on lockdown to start the head count.

Shepherdsville Police spotted him more than 2 miles from the jail at the Five Star gas station, walking out of the restroom wearing a possibly stolen Bullitt Central baseball hat and sunglasses. Police said they aren't sure if he stole those items or found them.

He was back in custody at 3:11 p.m. Police said the jail later determined Taylor escaped at 1:39 p.m. So he was on the run for about an hour and a half.

"I'm super proud of all the law enforcement that was involved," Casey said.

He said several agencies assisted with the search including the jail and the Louisville Metro Police Department's air unit was on the way too.

"Unfortunately these situations happen," Casey said. "I think we learn from these situations, and however this individual was able to escape, I'm sure the jail will fix that problem and it won't happen again."

Police said Taylor is a state inmate from Warren, Kentucky, who was originally bars for drug charges. He's now charged with escape. Police said Sunday was his first day out of quarantine, because all inmates who arrive from other facilities are under quarantine for 10 days.