Sumpter
Long
Police Chief Shaloa Edwards said the escape occurred through the sallyport area due to a malfunction in the electronic door lock. Edwards said police learned of the escape within 30 seconds.
Edwards said the dispatcher was watching the video and saw the two go out the door and notified officers.
Sumpter, 24, of Sallisaw, and Long, 24, of Van Buren, lead the police on a foot chase through the streets of Sallisaw. Sumpter disappeared and was discovered in a Sallisaw resident’s attic 30 minutes after he escaped.
Edwards said Sumpter had just picked up by officers and had not been booked into the jail yet when he escaped. He said Sumpter was arrested on county warrants.
According to Edwards, Sumpter told police the reason why he ran is to avoid going to prison. Now Sumpter may be facing a long prison term if convicted.
Sumpter has a history of criminal activities which include two counts of assault and battery, uttering forged instruments, injury of a minor child, knowingly concealing stolen property, placing obscene threats through a phone call, burglary in the second degree, destruction of city property, transporting an open container, and harassing telephone calls. Sumpter has no bail and faces arraignment at 1:30 p.m. Aug. 12 in Sequoyah County District Court, Sallisaw.
Long, 24, of Van Buren, Ark., was picked up on for public intoxication on Tuesday and was being held on a warrant for the Van Buren Police Department.
Lt. Brent Grill of the Van Buren Police Department said Long has a warrant for theft of property. Grill said Long allegedly stole tools from a the back of a truck.
Edwards said Long was found in Marble City in the attic of his girlfriends house. He said Long was taken to Sequoyah County Memorial Hospital in Sallisaw by officers due to injuries sustained while in the attic.
Long was cleared at the hospital then transported back to the city jail. Long’s bond is set at $13,000. Both men will face escape charges.
