Manhunt for escapee from Okeechobee Work Camp ends in Vero Beach
(Updated 01/25/2020) The Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office received a call at approximately 5:14 p.m. on the evening of January 23 from the Okeechobee Correctional Institution (OCI) in Florida regarding an escaped prisoner. That escapee was identified as 28-year-old Timothy L. Howton-McLaughlin, who had an extensive criminal history in Indian River County.
Authorities reported that Howton-McLaughlin had been driving a stolen OCI vehicle – a 1995 Ford F-150 2-door DC7636 with a black pipe rack over the bed and cab.
But this morning around 9:36 a.m., deputies with the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office reported that they got their man and arrested Howton-McLaughlin, thanks to witnesses in the area of 43rd Avenue and 8th Street in Vero Beach who led deputies to his location.
Escaped Prisoner in custody! Witnesses led us to the area of 43rd Avenue and 8th Street where a man had been spotted walking with no shoes. An off-duty deputy spotted the escapee and followed in his person vehicle until patrol units could get there. He fled on sight of law enforcement, who gave chase. He was ultimately apprehended by K-9. Glad to have him back in custody and off the streets. ~IRCS
After his escape yesterday, officials were notified that Howton-McLaughlin could be hiding in any number of homeless encampments in western Indian River County.
TC Palm reported that the missing F-150 pickup truck had been found at the Countryside Mobile Home Village in Vero Beach, located at 8775 20th Street in Vero Beach and that Howton-McLaughlin had been spotted in the area. Authorities learned that, following his successful escape from the work camp, Howton-McLaughlin “went to a family member’s home in a retirement mobile home community.” The escaped prisoner reportedly entered his family member’s home and changed clothes when no-one was home.
Witnesses told deputies that they spotted Howton-McLaughlin near the mobile homes dressed in blue jeans, a blue shirt and black shoes and that he had ran into a wooded area east of the Countryside. After a brief chase, deputies, with the help of a K-9 assist, managed to capture him without incident.
Howton-McLaughlin made good his escape from the Okeechobee Correctional Institution Work Camp while on an outside work assignment, according to WPTV. He was serving an eight-year sentence there after being found guilty of trafficking in stolen property and burglary. He was there only two years before he escaped last night.
Records show that he had been jailed in Indian River County on five separate occasions between 2012 and 2018, “largely on various charges of probation violation, failure to appear and dealing in stolen property.”
Written by: Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter
