07/10/13 Anderson Co., SC – Man Handcuffed Escapes Patrol Car – Steals Patrol Car Almost Hitting Police Officer – Chase – Crash – Suspect Bit Arresting Officer

July 10, 2013

wspa.com

A man wanted for stealing an Iva Police car and almost hitting a police officer has been arrested.

Anderson County Sheriff John Skipper said that Kenneth Franklin Tollison, 26, was arrested Wednesday evening and has been charged with attempted murder, stealing a vehicle, forging a check, providing false information to a police officer and escape.

Authorities tell 7 On Your Side he was at the People’s Bank of Iva trying to cash a forged check when police were called. Investigators say Tollison was placed in handcuffs and placed in the back of a caged police cruiser. While in custody, Tollison managed to open the window and climb out to get in the front of the patrol car and get away.

7 On Your Sides Rachel Kent asked Iva Police Chief, Thomas Miller, how Tollison managed to escape through the window and what’s being done to prevent it from happening again.

“He just let the window down we thought all our vehicles were equipped not to let the windows go down in the back,” Chief Miller said. “By the end of the day all our vehicles will be equipped so the windows don’t let down from the back seat,” Miller added.

According to authorities, Tollison nearly hit a Iva Police Officer while trying to escape. The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office says the car was located off Highway 413 on Audobon Place after it crashed into an embankment.

Law enforcement officers and bloodhounds searched the area looking for Tollison for nearly 9 hours. Skipper stated that Tollison was taken into custody a short distance from where the wreck happened. Police Chief Thomas Miller tells us Tollison bit the arresting officer twice before being taken into custody. Tollison is being held at the Anderson County Jail.