Fountain escapee caught

Published 12:20 am Wednesday, August 19, 2009

By By Adam Prestridge
special to the standard

An inmate who scaled the fence and escaped from J.O. Davis/Fountain Correctional Facility Saturday evening is back behind bars in Mobile today awaiting transfer to Atmore.
Members of the ADOC Investigations and Intelligence unit, along with the U.S. Marshals Office, recaptured 35-year-old Devin Nalls around 3:10 p.m. Monday during a traffic stop at Interstate 65 and Hwy. 90 near Mobile, said Brian Corbett, public information manager for the Alabama Department of Corrections.
Corbett said the stop was a result of a surveillance effort by the two agencies.
Nalls was discovered missing during a bed check Saturday around 9:10 p.m.
During a search of the prison’s perimeter, correctional officers discovered bloody clothing inside the southwest portion of the security fence. Blood was also present on the fence where Nalls was apparently cut by the razor wire while climbing the fence.
Corbett said the K-9 unit responded and tracked Nalls approximately 1/4 mile to Hwy. 29 where it is believed he escaped in a vehicle.
Nalls, who was sentenced to 20 years on numerous counts of breaking and entering a vehicle, was on the run for nearly two days. Corbett said he is unsure what charges will be added to Nalls’ sentence.
J.O. Davis houses Fountain Correctional Facility’s minimum custody inmates, some of which are allowed to work outside the camp.
It also houses some medium security inmates. Corbett said Saturday’s escape is the first of ADOC’s fiscal year, which began Oct. 1, 2008.
A second individual was also in the vehicle during the time of Nalls’ recapture and may face charges as well.