Vernon Parish inmate escaped custody, stole a car, later re-captured

The Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Department says an inmate managed to escape and then stole a car on Wednesday morning. He was re-captured 29 minutes later following a high-speed pursuit. Deputies say they were transporting inmates to the Parish Courthouse when 21-year-old Colton Chadwick, of Leesville, escaped at 10:06 a.m. Despite being fitted with both waist and ankle shackles, he then stole a vehicle at a nearby business which had been left with the engine running. According to deputies, the owner of the vehicle had left their cell phone in it, so the cell phone company was able to ping the cell phone’s location and that led law enforcement to the location of the vehicle on LA Highway 28, northeast of Leesville. During a high-speed pursuit with the vehicle, deputies say Chadwick tried to drive through a wooded area but became stuck. He was then taken into custody at 10:35 a.m. On top of his original charges, Chadwick is now charged with Simple Escape, Aggravated Flight from an Officer, Theft of a Motor Vehicle, Driver Must be Licensed, and Criminal Damage to Property.