Escape and Evasion: Rockdale Inmate’s Bold Getaway Ends with a High-Tech Twist at the Grocery Store
The manhunt for an escaped Rockdale County inmate has taken a bizarre and modern turn, as deputies revealed the fugitive’s latest move: abandoning his second stolen getaway car in a grocery store parking lot and hopping into a rideshare vehicle. Authorities say 52-year-old Timothy Shane, considered armed and dangerous, is still on the run after his brazen escape from custody earlier this week.
The saga began early Monday morning at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. Shane, a Rockdale County inmate who had been transported to the hospital late Sunday for a medical evaluation following a suicide attempt, somehow managed to slip away from a deputy’s custody around 1:20 a.m. His initial outfit? Just a hospital gown and no shoes.
It didn’t take long for him to upgrade. In a dizzying crime spree, Shane first allegedly stole an SUV nearby, but that vehicle ended up wrecked less than a mile away. Worse, the SUV’s owner reported that a Glock handgun was missing from the vehicle, which is why the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office is urging the public to consider Shane armed and extremely dangerous.
From there, Shane didn’t slow down. Investigators say he was caught on camera stealing a silver Pontiac Grand Prix near Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The multi-agency search tracked this vehicle until it was discovered abandoned late Monday night in a Publix parking lot on Highway 155 in Henry County, about 30 miles from the hospital.
The next twist is straight out of a movie script. Instead of stealing a third car or attempting to blend into the shopping center crowd, deputies learned that Shane had ordered an Uber. The ride was requested to take him to a residence in south Rockdale County. This digital breadcrumb provided law enforcement with a new lead, and they quickly secured a search warrant for the drop-off address.
Unfortunately, the move was too fast for authorities. When deputies arrived at the Rockdale home, Shane was nowhere to be found. He had apparently shed his hospital attire for a red hooded sweatshirt, dark blue pants, and even managed to find some shoes along the way.
Before his escape, Shane was facing serious charges that include kidnapping his ex-girlfriend, leading police on a high-speed chase that reached speeds of nearly 130 mph, and multiple felony drug and weapons charges. His history of fleeing is now a primary concern for the numerous agencies involved in the search across the Atlanta metro area.
As of Tuesday, December 2, Timothy Shane remains at large. Law enforcement is actively pursuing leads and is asking anyone with information to contact the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office immediately, reminding citizens not to approach the fugitive.