Prisoner Escapes Dakota County Custody In Georgia

GEORGIA, MN — The Dakota County Sheriff's Office is investigating after a prisoner escaped their custody while in the state of Georgia.

On Aug. 3, two Dakota County deputies traveled to Bulloch County, Georgia to take custody of 35-year-old Joseph H. Baynes on a Dakota County complaint warrant for felony harassment.

The deputies took custody of Baynes at the Bulloch County jail at about 11:45 a.m.

While driving to Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, Baynes "managed to escape custody," authorities said.

Local, state, and federal agents searched for Baynes in a "heavily wooded area" on airport property for several hours but did not find him, according to investigators.

The Dakota County Sheriff’s Office continues to search for Baynes with the help of local, state, and federal law enforcement authorities.

The deputies were not injured in the incident. Baynes did not have any weapons at the time, investigators said.

The Bulloch County Sheriff's Office released the following statement on the incident:

Sheriff Brown would like to clarify some misinformation that is being released by some media outlets. Joseph H. Baynes is wanted out of Dakota County Minnesota on felony stalking charges. Baynes, who was in custody at the Bulloch County Jail, signed a waiver of extradition to return to Minnesota to answer to those charges. Baynes was turned over to officials from Minnesota this morning for transport. At some point while at the Savannah/Hilton Head Airport Baynes escaped custody. At no time were there any law enforcement officials from the Bulloch County Sheriff's Office involved in the incident at the airport. Hope this clarifies that Baynes did not escape custody of the Bulloch County Sheriff's Office.