Suspect flees after bond revocation, is captured

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - A Creola teen was booked into Mobile Metro Jail January 30 after he escaped from a Mobile County courtroom.

Bailiff Bumper Lyons said Deven Stephens, 18, had his mind made up when he walked into court.

"He came in here, and said if he were going to be put in jail he had a plan," said Lyons.

Lyons said his plan was to run.

"Just a very simple bolt and go," said Lyons.

Stephens appeared before Judge Bob Sherling on a burglary charge. Stephens was out on bond.

Sherling, however, revoked his bail due to looming trafficking and manufacturing meth charges.

Lyons said as with all soon-to-be-inmates, Stephens was seated in a row of chairs on the side of the judge, without handcuffs.

"We have a system where we have to fill out a card before the correction officer takes them, and the clerk in this instance was busy at the time and didn't have time to make up the slip to give it to the corrections officer,” said Lyons.

Lyons said Stephens saw his chance to make a break when the corrections officer went to get a prisoner.

"When I turned around and saw him running, I said, ‘What the stew?’” said Lyons.

Lyons said several officers were in the jury box, but couldn't catch him.

“He was fast as greased lightening," said Lyons.

Stephens made his way to a stairwell, and after that, he was gone

"It’s not well known where these stairs are, so he knew about it. He scoped it out," said Lyons.

A couple of hours later, Sgt. Joe Mahoney with the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office said a Mobile County deputy spotted Stephens on I-65.

"Stephens saw the deputy car and jumped a fence right there at West Lee St. and I-65. At that point, we were able to call in our canine units and tracked him to a house nearby,” said Mahoney.

That house was in Chickasaw, a long walk from Government Plaza.

K-9's found him holed up under a house.

"We were unable to get him to come out. He would not listen to our commands so the dog was sent in. And he did sustain some minor injuries from a dog bite,” said Mahoney.

After treatment, Stephens was finally taken to Metro Jail.

Stephens will be back in Judge Sherling’s courtroom Thursday, January 31, this time in handcuffs.

On top of his pending charges, he now faces an escape charge.

Lyons said no protocol was broken, but this is a good opportunity to take a look at how things are done and see how this could have been prevented.