Naked, Escaped Inmate back in custody
Orangeburg County SC July 31 2021
An Orangeburg County inmate was taken back into custody early Saturday after he emerged from the woods and asked for clothes, according to Orangeburg County Administrator Harold Young.
“I’m glad we were able to apprehend him and get him behind bars,” Young said.
The escape is still under investigation.
Austin Craig Nettles was taken into custody on Friday on an alleged parole violation.
He complained of not feeling well and possibly experiencing a seizure, so he was taken by EMS to the hospital.
He was waiting in a triage area and his cuffs were loosened in anticipation of him receiving an MRI, Young said. Security included guards and hospital staff.
While he was wearing a hospital gown, Neetles said he was cold and asked for a blanket.
“All of a sudden he popped up from the sheet,” Young said. Officers tried to stop Nettles, but Young noted it is difficult to subdue a naked person.
The Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies searched an area along St. Matthews Road from Fire Tower Road to State A&M Road. Fire Tower Road residents were asked to lock their doors.
An officer reported spotting a naked Nettles on the railroad tracks behind the Dodge/Ram/Jeep dealership on Friday evening.
