HOT SPRINGS — A Hot Springs man who escaped custody twice in the past two months was arrested again Tuesday evening, officers said.
Jermaine Lewis Atkinson, 21, was taken into custody by Hot Springs authorities about 6:30 p.m. on multiple warrants, including two counts of second-degree escape, a felony punishable by up to six years in prison. He was held without bail.
Garland County Sheriff’s Lt. James Martin noted that extra precautions would be taken with Atkinson, who escaped the first time on his way to a court appearance and the second time as he was being taken into the jail.
“He will be transported by himself in leg shackles and with a belly chain, as well as using flex cuffs,” Martin said.
Atkinson had escaped from normal metal handcuffs twice, he said.
Atkinson was first arrested Jan. 20 along with Bryan Jermaine Ellis, 23, after police responded to a burglary in progress. Atkinson, who was on parole at the time, was charged with residential burglary, theft by receiving and theft of property more than $2,500, stemming from the theft of a car.
On June 8, Atkinson was at the rear in a handcuffed chain of inmates being escorted to Garland County Circuit Court when police say he slipped out of the handcuffs and fled.
On July 14, Atkinson was arrested along with Lee Oliver Counts, 23, and Brenda Paige Mann, 18, both of Hot Springs, shortly after Garland County sheriff’s deputies responded to a burglary in progress.
The three were transported to the Garland County jail. Atkinson initially gave deputies a false name so his true identity was not discovered until later, police said.
Later when Deputy Phil Fisher was taking Atkinson to jail, he opened the patrol-car door and found that Atkinson had freed himself from handcuffs, police said.
Atkinson threw the cuffs at Fisher, striking him in the chest, and fled, police said.
“I don’t know how he keeps getting out of the handcuffs,” Sheriff Larry Sanders said at the time. “I don’t know if he’s double-jointed or what.”
Additional charges of residential burglary and criminal impersonation have been added to Atkinson’s previous charges, including the two counts of escape.
Arkansas, Pages 12 on 07/30/2010