Residents detain jail escapee

[TallPine]

Story about some folks who "got involved"

http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/09/02/news/state/35-escapee.txt

Residents detain jail escapee
By The Associated Press

MILES CITY - Area residents on Friday helped law enforcement officers capture a man facing a sexual-assault charge who escaped from the Custer County jail Wednesday night.

Two men spotted Devin S. Deming, 36, in a small barn just outside the city. One of the men had a handgun and held Deming at gunpoint until deputies arrived, said Custer County Sheriff Tony Harbaugh.

Landowner Jack McDaniel and a friend, Bill Raschow, were checking some outbuildings on McDaniel's property when they noticed some items out of place in a small barn. They got out of their vehicle to investigate.

"We could see a subject - it looked like a pile of rags - lying on the ground," McDaniel said. "I loaded my weapon, walked a little closer and hollered, and he jumped up and started to walk toward us. "I hollered, 'Stop, and lay down on your stomach,' " McDaniel said, to which Deming responded that he couldn't because his back was injured.

McDaniel said he responded, "It's gonna be a hell of a lot worse if you don't get down."

McDaniel handed a phone to Raschow, who dialed 911.

First to arrive were a local pilot and a deputy doing an aerial search.

"The deputy bails out of the plane and handcuffs the guy," McDaniel said.

Deming was searched for weapons and loaded into a county cruiser.

"They thanked us, and we took off," McDaniel said. "We were thirsty for coffee."

Deming was jailed on felony charges of aggravated assault, kidnapping, burglary and sexual assault on a minor.

An escape charge will be added, Harbaugh said.

Deming is accused of attacking a 12-year-old boy in June 2005 at a Miles City residence; he also faced a Sept. 11 trial on charges of attacking a 13-year-old girl in Miles City in December 2005.

Officials said Deming escaped at 10:20 p.m. Wednesday when another inmate, Thomas Conley, overpowered a guard.

The detention officer, whose name wasn't released, received six stitches to close an injury to his face.

Deming was a fugitive for about 36 hours.

McDaniel said he had thought about what he would do if he encountered Deming and was prepared to shoot him, if necessary.

"I knew they was after him, and I thought about all the women and kids in Miles City," he said. "I thought, 'If he comes after me, I'd do it.' "


Copyright © 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.



Published on Saturday, September 02, 2006.
Last modified on 9/2/2006 at 1:14 am


Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises.

 

[Geronimo45]

Those gun-toting vigilantes, at it again, causing innocent people no end of trouble.

They need a medal. NRA or some such group should start giving medals for people like this.

 

[.22-250]

"I hollered, 'Stop, and lay down on your stomach,' " McDaniel said, to which Deming responded that he couldn't because his back was injured.

McDaniel said he responded, "It's gonna be a hell of a lot worse if you don't get down."


Heh heh, classic.

 

[motoman]

Whats missing from this article? Where is the line from local law enforcement telling the rest of us that "while it worked out ok this time, leave this to the professionals". Also, im curious about a deputy bailing out of an airplane to handcuff the subject? Did he have a chute on?

Moto

 

[foob]

First to arrive were a local pilot and a deputy doing an aerial search.

"The deputy bails out of the plane and handcuffs the guy," McDaniel said.

Did the deputy bail out of a plane in the air??

 

[ugaarguy]

Did the deputy bail out of a plane in the air??

Maybe the pilot pulled a real slow touch and go in the rancher's field aloowing the deputy to hop out of the plane? Rural part of Montana like that I wonder how long that deputy and those two ranchers had to wait for the cruiser to show up?

 

[Geronimo45]

Could've been a chopper, and the 'plane' bit was a misquote or misstatement.

 

[spooney]

Planes don't have to land on a nice paved piece of ground all the time. I have landed in a grass field or two when I lived in Montana.

 

[Azrael256]

I have landed in a grass field or two when I lived in Montana

Yup. Lots of little strips out in the boonies are just areas that have been cleared of trees and mowed. A half mile stretch of pasture without any big obstructions (big rocks, trees, power lines, tractor implements, etc.) is just as good. 747s require improved runways, but little Cessnas and the like need much, much less to safely land.

 

[oneshooter]

Most airfields in WW2 were grass. Thay landed a lot of aircraft on them, a LOT larger than a Cessna!

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas

 

[espanola]

Shoot, if you've ever been to that part of Montana you'd know the whole place is a giant landing strip. Flat and open. One way you hear it described is "vast"--code for flat and no trees!

 

[OpFlash]

Shoot, if you've ever been to that part of Montana you'd know the whole place is a giant landing strip. Flat and open. One way you hear it described is "vast"--code for flat and no trees!

Must be good varmit hunting in those parts.

 

[OpFlash]

I think stories like these are great, and what makes them even greater is that if the BG knew the law he would know he could just walk or run away. Its not legal for a citizen to shoot a fleeing suspect, at least it isn't around here. 'Course the BG don't know if the civie knows that!

 

[Optical Serenity]

Good deal! Bet the BG was like "how did this happen? Darn!"

 

[MarkDido]

Another reason why I want to move to Montana when I win the lottery!

 

[Kim]

I think in some places you can shoot someone in the process of committing a felony. Was jail break a felony. At least that is the way it is in Arkansas.

 

[Andras]

Maybe the pilot flew by low and slow and the deputy jumped out into a big haystack

 

[Survivor]

We are just so thankful that Deming was apprehended. I would like to extend our gratitude to those who helped apprehend him.

 

[cleardiddion]

Good for them!

 

[wishin]

Another resurrection from the tomb! (2006).

I find it refreshing that the article contained no implication or mention of any alleged wrong doing on the part of the guys who held the BG at gun point. They did real good. On a recent thread, a number of THRers commented on how they wouldn't try to apprehend a criminal if confronted with a situation that warranted such action. Renews my faith in a concerned citizen doing the right thing.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

No thread necromancy!