Oklahoma jail escapee caught in NW Arkansas

FARMINGTON — Local law enforcement agencies Monday captured Jeromy Call, the second of two men who escaped from a Poteau, Okla., jail Friday.

Kelly Cantrell, public information officer for the Washington County sheriff’s office, said that at 3:37 p.m. Call had been arrested. Call was captured in the area of the dead end of Northwest Jetter Road, Cantrell said.

Washington County sheriff’s office deputies and other officers began searching for a man thought to be Call in the area of North Appleby Road and Arkansas 170 just outside Farmington after receiving a report Monday morning of a suspicious person in the area, according to the sheriff’s office.

Officers also were searching in the area of West Jeter Loop, west of Arkansas 265, the sheriff’s office reported. The person was described at a white man, with a beard, wearing unknown color clothing and carrying something in his hand that might be a jacket.

Jason Delao, the other man who escaped from the LeFlore jail Friday, was arrested in Farmington on Saturday, according to Farmington police.

Officers were called to the Appleby Road area around 5 p.m. Saturday on a report of a person carrying a firearm, according to information from Farmington police. When officers spoke with Delao, he initially pointed the weapon at himself and then ran into a nearby cemetery, according to reports. Police say a single shot was fired, and officers later arrested Delao without further incident.

Delao, 20, of Talihina, Okla., was booked into the Washington County jail in connection with aggravated assault, possession of firearm by certain persons, theft by receiving and other charges.

Capt. Gerald Woodral with the LeFlore County sheriff’s office said Call and Delao were able to loosen and roll back a steel panel in the wall of their cell to escape. He said the men then made their way into a maintenance/plumbing area and broke out through a window. The two men stole a pickup with a rifle in it after their escape, according to police.

Woodral said Delao was being held in connection with a drug court warrant and some burglaries.

Woodral said Call, 38, was arrested in August 2020 in a burglary. He said Call escaped from the jail in February and was captured after being involved in some additional burglaries and vehicle thefts.