Officer arrested in jail escape

A correctional officer was arrested and two inmates who escaped from the Escambia County (Ala.) Work Release Center are back behind bars after several hours of freedom Saturday.

Correctional Officer Deidra Madden, 27, of Castleberry was charged with two counts of facilitating an escape and she was terminated from her job with the Escambia County Sheriff's Office, according to Sheriff Heath Jackson.

Inmates Gregory Smith, 24, of Woodbury, Tenn., and Hunter Madden, 33, of Appleton Road in Brewton, were both charged with escape. Smith was being held for theft of property I and Hunter Madden was being held for counterfeiting, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, attempting to elude and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff Jackson said his office received a 911 call about 3:15 a.m. Saturday from someone saying they saw two men wearing orange clothing running from the work release center barracks.

An immediate lockdown was ordered and a head count revealed Gregory Smith and Hunter Madden were missing.

A perimeter was set up and the K-9 tracking team from the Alabama Department of Corrections was dispatched.

The K-9 team located Smith in a wooded area about five and a half miles away from the center. Later that afternoon, while doing surveillance on Pea Ridge Road, Hunter Madden was observed exiting a wooded area and getting into a car. A traffic stop was conducted and Hunter Madden was taken back into custody.

Jackson said while investigating the escape, it was determined that both inmates were assisted by Deidra Madden, who left a security door propped open to let them escape.

Deidra Madden was booked into the Escambia County Detention Center on $10,000 bond. Jackson described Hunter Madden and Deidra Madden as distant relatives through marriage.

Jackson issued thanks to the Brewton Police Department, the DOC K-9 team and Central Bail Bonding for their assistance in recapturing the inmates.