Escaped Prisoner captured in Wood County

 

 On October 5th, Joseph Leslie Meadows, 25, was apprehended after he escaped from custody in Hopkins County.

Meadows had stolen a Hopkins County patrol vehicle on October 4th and was sighted in Longview. The Longview police pursued Meadows back toward Wood County on Hwy 80.
 

At about 1:30 a.m. on October 5th, police from Big Sandy and Hawkins had joined in the pursuit. Meadows wrecked the patrol vehicle on FM 778 and CR 3056. He then fled on foot into the woods.
 

Law enforcement, from across the region, along with Wood County deputies maintained a perimeter. DPS helicopters were also the area searching for Meadows. Texas department of Corrections tracking dogs were on the trail of Meadows continuously.
 

Meadows had stolen a 9mm weapon and considered armed and dangerous. Wood County Sheriff Dwaine Daugherty had citizens in the area warned about the fugitive. Meadows was spotted by the TDC tracking dogs and the deputies on horseback. He was captured in the secured area. He was taken to the Wood County Jail and later transported back to Hopkins County.
 

Sheriff Daugherty thanks the news media for a quick response in warning area citizens of the safety concerns. He also thanks those citizens who called in sightings of the fugitive and also all of the agencies that gave their support and assistance.
 

In addition to the Wood County Sheriff’s Department, participating agencies included the police departments of Longview, Big Sandy, Winnsboro, Hawkins and Mt. Pleasant, personnel from the Hopkins and Van Zandt County sheriff’s offices, and the United States Marshall’s Service from Titus and Smith counties, along with DPS troopers, and personnel from the Hainesville Volunteer Fire Department