Three separate video clips released Thursday by the Highland County Common Pleas Court revealed how in only seconds, convicted criminal Nickolaus Garrison broke free of sheriff’s deputies during a pat down and escaped down the stairs after being sentenced Monday morning.
Garrison, 34, Hillsboro, was sentenced by Judge Rocky Coss to nearly two years in prison on a fifth-degree felony conviction of aggravated possession of methamphetamine.
While the court’s judgement entry of confinement ordered incarceration of six months with 10 days credit for time served, it also ordered Garrison to serve another 530 days since he committed the offense while under community control for a prior drug conviction.
Highland County Sheriff Donnie Barrera said Thursday that Garrison was still at large and hthe sheriff’s office was following up on leads.
A court spokesperson said that sheriff’s deputy Ben Reno was recovering at home from injuries he sustained Monday, suffering four broken ribs and a concussion after diving over the stair railing in a valiant attempt to apprehend Garrison as he fled down the stairs.
“He’s still hurting a lot,” she said, “but he’s more frustrated than anything.”
Coss issued a warrant for Garrison’s arrest shortly after the incident, ordering that when he is apprehended, he is to be immediately taken to the Corrections Reception Center at Orient to begin serving his sentence.
Barrera said he was confident in eventually taking Garrison back into custody, and said if anyone has any information regarding Garrison’s whereabouts, they should call the Highland County Sheriff’s office at 937-393-1421.
See The Times-Gazette’s Facebook page for video of Garrison’s escape and officers’ effort to catch him as he fled the courtroom or follow this link: https://www.facebook.com/TheTimesGazette/videos/338798644227709.
Reach Tim Colliver at 937-402-2571.
