Search continues for prison escapee

PITTSBORO

The jail break affected several schools in Eastern Chatham County forcing officials to operate on a two hour delay.

Initially five men escaped from the Chatham County Detention Center around 11:30 p.m. Monday night. Sheriff's deputies captured four of them within the first hours of their escape.

Stewart Baldwin is the only inmate left on the run.

"Five inmates overpowered our detention officers in the jail and was able to obtain a key and got out through one of the side doors through our detention center," spokesperson Maj. James Blankenship Chatham Co. Sheriff's Office said.

The inmates scaled a fence and wire to get away but four didn't make it very far. "We had roadblocks at every main corridor leaving Pittsboro, entering Pittsboro. We were searching every vehicle leaving Pittsboro," Blankenship said.

They were caught about a half mile outside Pittsboro, just before 4 a.m.

Several schools in Eastern Chatham County were placed on a two hour delay as officials continue to search for Stewart Baldwin. Those schools are Northwood, Pittsboro Elementary, Horton, Moncure, North Chatham and Perry Harrison.

If you have any information contact the Chatham County Sheriff's Office.

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