Escaped Convicts Might be in Our Area
ALABAMA -- Right now, the hunt is on in our area for two men who escaped from jail in North Alabama. At least one of the men made his way to the Northwest Florida area and was arrested Monday night in Santa Rosa County.
A total of four men broke out of the Lauderdale County Jail late Saturday night. One was caught on Sunday, about a mile from the jail. The second arrest was in Navarre after a burglar alarm brought deputies to the First Baptist Church on Highway 98.
Deputies say Wesley Gibson admitted breaking into the church because he had nowhere else to go.
Church members are willing to forgive, but they hope others realize that crime doesn't pay.
At the church, a broken window could be found at the First Baptist Church of Navarre. Not long after it was broken into, about a hundred yards into some nearby trees, sheriff's office deputies found and arrested an injured Wesley Lee Gibson.
Jim Pennington has been the senior pastor at the First Baptist Church of Navarre for six years.
"We have a lot of local ministries and projects where we try to help people who are going through difficult times. These are hard days," he said.
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, investigators say Wesley Lee Gibson decided to help himself to what the church had to offer.
Gibson is accused of breaking a window on the church's van then breaking another window to get inside the church's office building.
"That somebody would get to that place in their life where they feel like they've got to break into any facility, whether it's ours or any others," Pennington said.
The break-in triggered the church's alarm and deputies say moments later, bloodied by broken glass, Wesley Lee Gibson fled into some nearby woods. That's where he was caught a short time later.
Originally jailed on drug charges in Alabama Gibson is facing several new charges in Northwest Florida.
"I've never been part of a prison ministry, but I've heard good things come out of prison ministries and I do hope these people will turn their lives around and look towards the Lord," said church member Lee Witherington.
"We have a real good security system that helped us, and I'll tell ya', I'll give a round of applause to our sheriff's department. They were very quick to respond. They were here and handled things very professionally," Pennington said.
Church members say they've already forgiven Wesley Lee Gibson for the damage he caused to their church. They just hope going forward, he makes better choices in every aspect of his life.
The two other escapees are still on the loose and may be in the Northwest Florida area. Ricky Lawson and Robert Brown were in jail on misdemeanor charges.
If you have information about them, you're asked to call Santa Rosa Crime Stoppers at 437-STOP.
A total of four men broke out of the Lauderdale County Jail late Saturday night. One was caught on Sunday, about a mile from the jail. The second arrest was in Navarre after a burglar alarm brought deputies to the First Baptist Church on Highway 98.
Deputies say Wesley Gibson admitted breaking into the church because he had nowhere else to go.
Church members are willing to forgive, but they hope others realize that crime doesn't pay.
At the church, a broken window could be found at the First Baptist Church of Navarre. Not long after it was broken into, about a hundred yards into some nearby trees, sheriff's office deputies found and arrested an injured Wesley Lee Gibson.
Jim Pennington has been the senior pastor at the First Baptist Church of Navarre for six years.
"We have a lot of local ministries and projects where we try to help people who are going through difficult times. These are hard days," he said.
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, investigators say Wesley Lee Gibson decided to help himself to what the church had to offer.
Gibson is accused of breaking a window on the church's van then breaking another window to get inside the church's office building.
"That somebody would get to that place in their life where they feel like they've got to break into any facility, whether it's ours or any others," Pennington said.
The break-in triggered the church's alarm and deputies say moments later, bloodied by broken glass, Wesley Lee Gibson fled into some nearby woods. That's where he was caught a short time later.
Originally jailed on drug charges in Alabama Gibson is facing several new charges in Northwest Florida.
"I've never been part of a prison ministry, but I've heard good things come out of prison ministries and I do hope these people will turn their lives around and look towards the Lord," said church member Lee Witherington.
"We have a real good security system that helped us, and I'll tell ya', I'll give a round of applause to our sheriff's department. They were very quick to respond. They were here and handled things very professionally," Pennington said.
Church members say they've already forgiven Wesley Lee Gibson for the damage he caused to their church. They just hope going forward, he makes better choices in every aspect of his life.
The two other escapees are still on the loose and may be in the Northwest Florida area. Ricky Lawson and Robert Brown were in jail on misdemeanor charges.
If you have information about them, you're asked to call Santa Rosa Crime Stoppers at 437-STOP.