This guy is genious.
KENNESAW - A prisoner being transferred from Florida to Tennessee escaped Tuesday afternoon near Kennesaw State University, causing the campus to be locked down for nearly three hours.
As of press time, police were still searching for the fugitive, identified by police as Chris Gay.
Gay was being transported back to Coffee County, Tenn., after being arrested in Florida for allegedly stealing a Wal-Mart truck in Tennessee, according to Cobb Police.
Police said when the Coffee County deputy who was escorting him stopped at Waffle House off Chastain Road for food - the same Waffle House where former KSU President Betty Siegel frequents and has a booth named after her - Gay was able to escape.
Gay was unrestrained and pushed past the deputy, said Sgt. Dana Pierce of Cobb Police.
"At this point, we do not know the intent of the transport officer," Pierce said, in reference to why the fugitive was unrestrained.
Gay headed toward the KSU campus, police said.
He was later spotted running toward the East (parking) Deck, said university spokeswoman Frances Harrison.
Harrison said officials were notified at 3:02 p.m. about the fugitive and an immediate alert was sent by e-mail, phone and text message to the campus community.
"After investigating several alleged sightings of the escapee in two KSU facilities (the Science Building and the Ann and John Clendenin Computer Science Building), police officers from multiple jurisdictions searched the entire KSU campus thoroughly, and the suspect was not located anywhere on the university's premises," according to a release from the university.
The campus was cleared from lockdown at 5:30 p.m., according to KSU. The university called in extra police officers to patrol throughout the evening and night shifts. Classes remained cancelled Tuesday evening to accommodate orderly departures from the campus, according to the university. Normal operations and classes are to resume today.
Gay matches the description of a Christopher Gay featured on the America's Most Wanted Web site. According to America's Most Wanted, Gay allegedly stole well-known country singer Crystal Gayle's tour bus in January 2007.
Police could not confirm, but Pierce said it is likely the same individual. According to a release sent late Tuesday night from Cobb Police, "In the past, (Gay) has stolen a large box-type truck, a tour bus and a semi tractor-trailer."
America's Most Wanted also reported that Gay has escaped police custody so many times, he has been nicknamed "little Houdini" by law enforcement officials across the Southeast. Most notably, in South Carolina, Gay was shackled at the waist, hands and feet near a prison van when he escaped police custody. Nineteen police officers and two K-9 units searched for the fugitive to no avail. The officers found Gay's waist chain in the woods during the search, according to America's Most Wanted. Gay is described as a white male, 34 years old, approximately 5 feet 5 inches tall with short black hair and tattoos on both arms. He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and black pants. He is believed to be unarmed.
Anyone with information on Gay's whereabouts should contact police immediately.
