BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. — A teenager is on the run after escaping police custody outside the Hill-Finklea Detention Center early Friday morning, prompting a multi-agency search.
According to the Summerville Police Department, the escape happened around 12:33 a.m. as officers were transporting two suspects to the jail for booking.
Authorities identified the individual as Jovon Perlote, 18, who had been arrested earlier in the evening on charges of auto breaking and entering and possession of burglary tools.
Police say officers initially responded to a reported vehicle break-in in the South Pointe subdivision, where two suspects were taken into custody without incident. Both were transported to the detention center, but as the officer began removing them from the patrol vehicle, Perlote fled on foot before entering the facility.
“This individual was never inside the detention center,” stressed Cpl. Carli Carr with the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office.
Law enforcement agencies quickly launched a coordinated search effort. The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the response, deploying a K-9 unit and aerial drone support to track the suspect.
Authorities continue to search for Perlote and are urging anyone with information about his whereabouts to contact the Summerville Police Department or the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office immediately.
“We appreciate the community’s vigilance and concern. Law enforcement is actively working to locate the individual,” Cpl. Carr said.
Officials say the investigation remains ongoing as they work to determine the full circumstances surrounding the escape.
Anyone with information is urged to call 911 or contact dispatch at 843-719-4505.
