As some authorities continue to resist calls to empty America’s prisons to protect their inhabitants from the pandemic, a couple of jailbirds have dramatically taken matters into their own hands.
Two inmates escaped on Thursday from a maximum security Wisconsin prison, NBC News reported. The men broke out of the Columbia County Correctional Institution in Portage where several correctional officers have been infected with the coronavirus.
Police and prison officials named the men as Thomas E. Deering, 46, and James R. Newman, 36. They are believed to be heading towards Madison, police said.
The men escaped from the prison around 5am on Thursday, prompting immediate warnings to local residents to lock their doors, and take appropriate precautions. The men are considered dangerous. Officials did not reveal exactly how Deering and Newman had managed to escape.
According to court records, Deering was convicted in Milwaukee County in 2000 on multiple counts of second-degree sexual assault, kidnapping and burglary. He was also convicted of trying to escape in 2002 and battery in prison in 2015.
Court records show Newman was convicted of kidnapping, theft and escape in 2012 in Jackson County. He was also convicted of six charges of discharging a firearm in 2009 in Brown County.
The Columbia County Correctional Institution had been recently locked down due to coronavirus concerns after four staffers were diagnosed with the illness on Monday. It is not clear whether the lockdown was still in effect when the two inmates made their escape.
“These individuals are considered dangerous,” spokeswoman Anna Neal of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections said. “We are asking anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of these individuals to contact law enforcement immediately.”
Both escapees are white males. Deering is described as being 6 feet tall and weighing about 200 pounds. He has brown hair and blue eyes. Newman is described as being 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing about 190 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes.
Keep your eyes peeled!
 | PORTAGE, WISCONSIN |
|---|---|
| Location: | 39 miles north of Madison |
| Population: | 10,437 |
| Median Household Income: | $45,684 |
| Quirky Fact: | French fur traders described the place as “le portage” because of its advantageous position between the Fox and Wisconsin rivers, which allowed them to cross from one waterway to the other |