Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Hope man is captured, escapes and recaptured

A Hope man who was arrested Aug. 27 in Nevada County managed to temporarily escape custody, but was captured again within ??

Lijiah Grady Smith, 38, 310 Hempstead 148, Hope, was arrested Aug. 27 and has now been formally chaged with fleeing, driving while intoxicated, aggravated assault and escape.

According to court records on file with the Nevada County Circuit Clerk, officers from the Nevada County Sheriffs Office received complaints from residents in the Rosston area that someone in a red car was pulling into driveways, looking around and then pulling away.

According to an affidavit filed by NCSO Deputy Robert Henninger, he spotted a car at Bodcaw matching the description given and stopped to talk to the driver. When Henninger pulled into the parking lot, the car pulled out, failed to stop at a stop sign and proceeded south on Highway 53 in the Northbound lane at a high rate of speed.

Henninger attempted to stop the car, but the driver - later identified as Smith - refused to pull over.

The car pulled onto Nevada 134, almost striking a person getting mail out of their mailbox, according to the report. NCSO K-9 Officer Robert Missey joined the chase. When the car slowed for a curve, Henninger pulled in front of the car and Missey blocked from the rear, forcing the car to a stop.

Henningers report indicates that the two deputies ordered Smith from the car and that Missey had to physically lay the suspect down on the ground to be restrained. A blood alcohol test revealed a content of .17 percent. Smith had no valid license at the time and has had a history of burglary, according to the court records.

Smith was then taken to the Nevada County Jail where he was placed in leg shackles.

While Smith was at the jail, he was able to remove the shackles off of his legs and escape from the jail through the window, Henningers report states.

He was subsequently caught by Prescott Police Department Deputy Danny Martin and returned to the jail.

Smith was given a first appearance in court on Oct. 2 where bond was set at $5,000, cash only.

As of press time, Smith remained in jail.