Chesterfield County inmate captured after escaping through open door

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, S.C. — An inmate is back in the Chesterfield County jail after investigators say he escaped late Sunday night through an open door.

The sheriff’s office told Channel 9′s Tina Terry that someone propped a door open, allowing the suspect to walk right out around 11 p.m.

According to Chesterfield County Sheriff Cambo Streater, officers were getting ready to book the suspect, Deshawn Reed, on a charge of disorderly conduct.

“As they were walking into the holding area, he spotted a door, went and pushed on the door, ran away ... the door was propped open, and he got out into the Sally port area, where officers pull cars up and bring in prisoners,” Streater said.

Deputies were able to find Reed quickly, and he was brought back to jail.

Streater says procedures weren’t followed, and that’s what led to Reed’s escape.

“How it happened and who is responsible is what we’re looking into. We’re reviewing video from those areas to see who propped the doors open, left them propped,” he told Terry.

This is the same jail that an accused murderer escaped from just a year ago. Last summer, Emanuel Bedford escaped through a window while awaiting trial for the alleged kidnapping and murder of Deirdre Reed.

Bedford was eventually found and returned to the jail.

“When the thing with Emanuel happened, there were vertical bars on the window. We put horizontal bars to make the opening a lot smaller,” Streater said.

The sheriff promises there will be disciplinary action against the employees involved in Sunday’s incident.

“We harp on our policies and adhering to the policies. It’s safety for the public, people at the jail, and safety for inmates,” Streater said.

But the sheriff also pointed to the need for a new jail to enhance security. The current detention center has been around for more than 50 years.

Lawmakers are considering if they want to use bond dollars to build a new jail.

(VIDEO: Rape, murder suspect out of jail on $50K bond)