Witnesses say Flagler County deputy fell asleep while guarding inmate who escaped
Escaped Florida inmate who faked injury found hiding in bushes
GRAPHIC CONTENT: Anthony Romine was pulled from thick underbrush while trying to hide, authorities said. (Flagler County Sheriff's Office)
A Florida inmate who was captured last week after faking an injury and escaping a hospital was able to flee from custody because the deputy tasked with guarding him was "likely sleeping," according to authorities.
Flagler County Deputy Tyrique Harper resigned on Tuesday before the start of a former internal investigation into how 29-year-old Anthony Romine escaped from AdventHealth Palm Coast Hospital, prompting the facility to go on lockdown and a massive manhunt for the inmate, the Flagler County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
"Witnesses indicate that Deputy Tyrique Harper was likely sleeping during the time of the escape and the inmate was not properly restrained in accordance to policy," the sheriff’s office said.
Harper had been relieved of law enforcement duties immediately following the escape on July 27 while a preliminary review of the incident was being conducted.
Anthony Romine, 29, was captured in a wooded area hours after he faked an injury and escaped from law enforcement custody at a hospital in Florida. (Flagler County Sheriffs Office)
Romine was initially arrested on July 3 on a felony warrant for petty theft, violation of his pre-trial release and counterfeiting. He was later taken to a hospital after claiming he fell, an injury that investigators eventually determined he had faked in an effort to escape and return to Ohio, where he is originally from, authorities said.
Anthony Romine, 29, seen after his capture and before his escape on security video. (Flagler County Sheriff's Office)
The manhunt lasted about seven hours until a Flagler County Sheriff's K-9 team tracked Romine to a wooded area by a gas station in Flagler County. He was hiding underneath some foliage and underbrush, and video footage shows a K-9 dragging a screaming Romine out from the bushes.
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"Fortunately, Romine was apprehended, and no additional crimes were committed by him in his escape attempt," said Mark Strobridge, chief of staff of the Flagler County Sheriff's Office.
Strobridge said that Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly, pictured above, expects all deputies to follow the office's policies, which includes not falling asleep on duty. (Flagler County Sheriff's Office, File)
"Sheriff Staly expects all deputies will follow our policies and not sleep while on-duty," Strobridge continued. "Our Agency motto is ‘An Honor to Serve, A Duty to Protect,’ and that did not occur in this incident by Deputy Harper."
After Romine’s capture, felony escape was added to the list of charges against him, as well as battery on a law enforcement officer without violence.
Fox News' Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
