Two inmates captured in Richmond County after escaping from Augusta Transitional Center

The following was taken from a press release distributed by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office on August 15, 2024:

COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ga. – At 10:41am we received a LPR alert for a black Toyota Tacoma that was related to two escaped inmates from the Georgia Department of Corrections.  Both occupants walked away from a work detail that was organized through the Augusta Transitional Center and the vehicle was reported stolen in Richmond County.  A CCSO deputy spotted the vehicle traveling east on Washington Road at Davis Road and followed it to Shartom Drive in Richmond County, where additional CCSO, RCSO, and US Marshall’s Service units met. A felony take down was performed resulting in the driver (George Carter, 58) and the front passenger (Matthew Connelly, 30) being taken into custody without incident.  The vehicle and both detainees were turned over to RCSO and the US Marshall’s Service.

While performing the felony take down, the driver of the truck shifted it into reverse and it rolled into the front of a CCSO deputy’s patrol vehicle.  No one was injured and the patrol vehicle received minor front end damage.