An inmate who escaped last Thursday from the Wright County Jail was recaptured Sunday evening after asking a motorist for a ride.
Brett Anthony was transported to the South Central Correctional Center at Licking by the Missouri State Highway Patrol following his arrest near Hartville.
The manhunt focused on an area north of Hartville after a fire in the county jail allowed the inmate to flee. Authorities used search dogs and a Missouri State Highway Patrol helicopter on multiple occasions.
Anthony, 37, fled northbound around 7:30 p.m. in an orange jumpsuit, authorities said. Prison records show that he was convicted of burglary, domestic assault and theft. Anthony was in Wright County to appear in court on charges of resisting arrest, tampering with a motor vehicle and stealing a vehicle in March 2016.
The patrol and area agencies were involved in the search. Authorities arrived at the fire to find a jailer (who was hospitalized) and an inmate with injuries. Sgt. Jeff Kinder of the patrol said the fire was contained to a mattress inside a cell. A large amount of smoke caused the evacuation. There were 38 inmates there. Texas County officials said 29 male inmates were received last Thursday night. The total census on Friday stood at 91. On Monday, the inmates were housed in Texas County when a fire broke out. There were no reports of injuries. Smoke was reported heavy in the building as firemen worked to extinguish the fire.
A Wright County Jail fire earlier in the year also resulted in inmates being moved to Texas County.