The Calhoun County Sheriff's Office provided this photo of David Hunt, 22, who officials said escaped from custody at Regional Medical Center Tuesday night after eluding a deputy and a corrections officer.
Sheriff Larry Amerson said the inmate, 22-year-old David Andrew Hunt didn’t have a weapon at the time of his escape, though police believe he may have armed himself since his escape.
Hunt is one tough cookie.
He is one of two Anniston men who were hospitalized after a shooting at Constantine Homes Oct. 12, authorities say.
Hunt was shot eight times in that incident, according to the sheriff and Anniston police reports. A 21-year-old with Hunt was shot twice.
Both men got into a Nissan Maxima and sped to the hospital, according to police reports. They crashed on the way to Regional Medical Center, flipping the car at the corner of Leighton Avenue and B Street.
Hunt was ejected from the car, and when police arrived, they found him lying in the street, according to police accounts.
Hunt’s troubles didn’t end with the wreck.
According to Amerson, police deduced that Hunt was out on bond, awaiting trial on multiple felony robbery charges. His bond was revoked, Amerson said, and Hunt was placed under the guard of a corrections officer and a deputy while he recuperated at RMC.
Until Tuesday night, that is.
Amerson said that around 8 p.m. Tuesday, Hunt entered the bathroom in his hospital room, tore off his IV, flung the door open and sprinted past his guards. Neither of the officers were able to catch hunt, Amerson said, and the man fled the hospital.
“There was an absolute breakdown in the security of this room,” Amerson said.
The escape led to a manhunt throughout the neighborhood surrounding RMC. Both Anniston police and deputies were involved, and they set up roadblocks on East Ninth Street, Highland Ave. and East 10th Street, stopping cars and inspecting front and back seats.
Amerson said he has also asked the U.S. Marshals’ Service for assistance.
The sheriff said there were now two investigations ongoing – one to find Hunt, and one to determine how the escape could have occurred.
“There is no excuse,” he said.
