For Immediate Release
November 3, 2014
WEST PALM, Fla. – West Palm Police Department arrested escaped inmate Ronald McCoy, 39, around 5:15 p.m. today in West Palm. FDLE received a tip that McCoy was in Palm Beach County and advised local agencies. A West Palm PD patrolman spotted the stolen maroon 4-door Ford F550 truck at the corner of 45th Street and Australian after getting a citizen tip. The citizen saw information about the stolen vehicle on the news. Inmate McCoy was in the truck, still wearing his prison uniform. McCoy was arrested without incident.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the escape, along with the US Marshals Service, Miami Dade Police Department and the Florida Department of Corrections.
Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Michael Crews said: “The Department of Corrections takes very seriously its primary mission of protecting the safety of Florida’s families. I’d like to express our deepest gratitude to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and all of our law enforcement partners for their steadfast diligence and skill in apprehending escaped inmate McCoy. DOC is continuing to investigate the matter in order to ensure such an escape does not happen again.”
McCoy escaped from Dade Correctional Institution in Florida City, on Oct. 31, 2014. At this point in the investigation, Agents believe he hid in a trash dumpster leaving the prison. McCoy is serving a life sentence out of Alachua County for robbery with a deadly weapon.
The investigation into the escape continues. Anyone with information about this escape is urged to contact FDLE Miami Regional Operations Center at (305) 470-5500.
McCoy was transported to the Palm Beach County Jail and will be interviewed by FDLE Agents.
For Further Information Contact:
Gretl Plessinger, Samantha Andrews or Steve Arthur
FDLE Office of Public Information
(850) 410-7001