Search for Accused Attempted Murderer

By: Parul Joshi/Eyewitness News 9 | WNCT
Published: January 22, 2008

And police in the East are still searching for a man who was in custody on attempted murder charges and escaped. Washington County deputies say Tobias Johnson jumped a deputy who was escorting him from the magistrate's office to the jail. It happened around 6:30 Sunday night in Plymouth.

Officials say the search for Johnson is nationwide. Chief Deputy Brian Hardison says Tobias Johnson could be anywhere.

Hardison says, "he is entered nationally and if he's stopped somewhere it'll generate hit.” Hardison hopes the National Crime Information Center will help find him.

He says deputies arrested the 19-year-old Sunday and charged him with robbery with a dangerous weapon and attempted murder. Hardison says Sergeant Gary Blount and Johnson were on their way to the jail and were waiting for the elevator. Hardison says, "at some point an altercation occurred where Sgt. Blount was injured and that time he took off running down stairs and busted through front glass window and out front door and down Adams Street."

Still in cuffs. Hardison believes Johnson's connections may be making it harder to track him down. Hardison says, "from my understanding he's got a lot of family, he can go to a lot of places and work with anybody and can be anywhere in just a matter of hours."

Hardison says Johnson is a member of a gang too: "there's some danger there with his past records and what he's charged with we'd like to get him custody at least get him off street for community."

So how did this happen in the first place? Hardison hopes to find out with an internal investigation.

Sergeant Blount the man escorting Johnson was hurt. He will be out for 6 weeks with a broken foot. If you've seen Johnson, call the Washington County Sheriff's Office at 252-793-2422.