Police:  Wounded Inmate in Stable Condition

By Scott Leamon
WSLS10 Reporter
Published: April 11, 2008

Updated 11:12 a.m. with mugshot

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A Virginia Department of Corrections officer shot a prison inmate in Carroll County during what investigators say was an escape attempt from a transport van.

Investigators with the Carroll County sheriff’s office said the inmate, David Yates, was in stable condition at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

Police said the guard’s bullet pierced Yate’s shoulder and exited through his abdomen.

At least two eyewitnesses described to authorities a first bizarre then life-and-death struggle on the side Route 58 Thursday afternoon in the Laurel Fork area of Carroll County.

“There was like a van behind me and I checked my rear view mirror to make sure that [the van was] stopping,” described the first 911 caller, a woman, who saw Yates’ initial escape attempt.

“There was a man climbing out of the passenger window and he had a hand cuff hanging from his arm,” the woman told a Carroll County emergency dispatcher.

Investigators said Yates somehow managed to free himself from one hand cuff, pry off a section of heavy metal meshing inside the van, break the van window, then climb out.

“The van pulled off of the side of the road and guy jumped out of the window and took off,” described the caller.

“Ooh!” exclaimed the stunned dispatcher.

“And then the driver jumped out and started chasing him,” the caller continued.

Another eyewitness described to investigators the two men slugging it out on the side of the highway.

Carroll County investigations sergeant Fred Bobbitt said the guard then shot Yates.

Bobbitt said Yates still had his leg shackles on when he arrived at the scene.

Bobbitt said it was unclear why Yates attempted the escape.

Virginia Department of Corrections spokesman Larry Traylor confirmed Yates’ identity but declined further comment citing the case was under investigation.

Before confirming Yates’ identity, Traylor said the prisoner was en route from a state facility in Chatham to the Tazewell County Jail.

On line court records show Yates’ probation on a charge of felony failing to stop for an accident was revoked last October.

The on line records show Yates’ criminal history in Tazewell County and read his next scheduled court appearance was not until July.

The Virginia Department of Corrections has not revealed the identity of the guard.

The guard was not seriously hurt during the escape attempt, authorities said.