Perry County Juvenile Inmate Facing Felony Charges

A Perry County juvenile detention inmate is facing charges after he escaped from custody.  Perry County Sheriff William Barker says on Monday that the 17-year-old was being transported by a Perry County Multi-County Juvenile Detention staff member from a doctor’s appointment in Zanesville.  Barker says as they were traveling across Tunnel Hill Road near the area of Melon Hill Road, the inmate began choking the employee and ordered him to stop the vehicle and demanded the employee to hand over the vehicle keys and the staff member’s cell phone.  The staff member complied and was left standing on Tunnel Hill Road while the inmate sped off.  Newark Police later arrested the inmate in Newark and recovered the vehicle.  The Perry County Prosecutor’s Office has charged the inmate with Aggravated Robbery, Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle, Felony Escape and Tampering with Evidence.  Prosecutor Joe Flautt also filed a motion for the inmate to be tried as an adult.  The name of the inmate has not been released due to his age.  He is being held in the Tri-County Juvenile Detention Facility in Lancaster.