Escaped Merced County inmate captured in Oklahoma. Here’s what led up to his arrest
A 45-year old Sacramento man who escaped from John Latorraca Correctional Center in Merced last month was captured Friday morning in Oklahoma, according to the Merced County Sheriff’s Office.
Escapee Charlie Everitt was apprehended by the Bartlesville, Okla. Police Department SWAT team without incident at a residence in Bartlesville.
At 8 a.m. Friday, the Merced County Sheriff’s Office Supervised Released Team received a call from the Bartlesville Police Department, according to a Merced County Sheriff’s Office press release.
Friday morning an unidentified man walked into the Bartlesville Police Department and reported that Everitt was asleep at a residence within the town.
Bartlesville police called the Merced Sheriff’s Office to confirm Everitt was an escapee and then sent their SWAT team to apprehend him.
Everitt escaped from the John Latorraca Correctional Center on April 26. He was able to “forcibly break through several layers of the building material, make his way through the perimeter fencing, and escape jail custody,” according to sheriff’s officials.
Everitt was about a month or so away from facing a jury trial for charges of driving under the influence of drugs with bodily injury, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and other felony enhancements. Two people were killed after a head-on crash with a vehicle driven by Everitt on Oct. 24, 2019 on Santa Fe Drive near East Avenue.
Sheriff officials cited an outdated facility as one of the main reasons an inmate was able to escape from the facility.
Everitt remains in custody in Oklahoma and awaits transfer back to Merced County.
This story was originally published May 14, 2021 at 4:39 PM.
