The father of one of the three South Carolina inmates who broke out of prison last week has been arrested on suspicion of aiding his son in the jailbreak Saturday.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, 27-year-old Tyshon Demontrea Johnson, 20-year-old Curtis Ray Green and 27-year-old Christopher Shannon Boltin, managed to escape the Orangeburg County Detention Center.
Johnson and Green were reportedly awaiting trials for murder.
Boltin had been charged with carjacking and grand larceny. Both he and his father were arrested Sunday.
The Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Department released an update confirming 51-year-old Hoyte Boltin is expected to face a criminal count of aiding an escapee.
Authorities did not provide many details about the nature of the father’s aid, though the statement indicated he provided “some type of assistance to his son.”
Orangeburg County Administrator Harold Young did release additional information about the nature of the escape, however.
In an update on Monday, he said the escapees “took advantage of a situation” that arose when the facility experienced an electrical malfunction.
“They took advantage of a situation,” Young said. “We had an electrical short in the panel. It did what it was designed to do. When that electrical short happened, it released the locks within that pod, like they’re supposed to do.”
As of the latest updates available, authorities were still searching for Johnson and Green. Officials say they should be treated as potentially dangerous.
Anyone with information about the possible whereabouts of any of the three men is asked to contact the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office by calling 803-534-3550 or leave an anonymous tip via Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.
[Featured image: Tyshon Johnson, Curtis Green and Christopher Boltin/Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office]