BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — A jail inmate briefly escaped authorities Thursday outside the Martin County Courthouse, triggering a manhunt in downtown Inez for the 39-year-old escapee.

Jeremy Maynard of Lovely was transported from the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center for a court appearance.

Upon exiting the courthouse with a group, everyone turned right while Maynard turned left and escaped to the walking trail next to the creek. Wearing handcuffs, he ran a short distance before leaving the trail.

“He made it up Main Street and went up in the mountains behind a residence across from the Dairy Drive-in,” Martin County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Chris Kidd said. “I had some citizens tell me that he had run that way.

After hitting the hill, Maynard traveled back toward the courthouse before Kidd caught him behind a house on West Main Street.

“I was able to go up in the hill and locate Mr. Maynard and bring him down without incident,” said Kidd.

According to the police report, Kidd walked up the hill several feet and noticed something orange about 75-100 feet up the hill.

“It appeared the person fell down when I ran toward him,” Kidd reported.

Maynard called out to Kidd, “It’s me. I give up.”

The inmate lost his shoes during the escape. A resident reported finding one of his shoes on the walking trail later in the day.

Maynard had been in jail since his arrest Jan. 4 on a charge of contempt of court/resistance to order.

He is now facing an additional charge of second-degree escape.