A Pike County Jail trustee apparently got about an hour head start when he made a getaway Friday, Dec. 28 morning while out on work release, according to Pike County Chief Deputy Travis Hill.
Charles Allen Harvey, 53, of Glenwood was working on the city of Murfreesboro’s trash truck Friday morning when he apparently escaped and was still at large Thursday, Jan. 3.
Deputy Hill said Harvey was picked up at the jail around 2 a.m. to work with the city sanitation crew. The crew had made one round and had then went to the city shop behind the old chicken processing plant for a break. Hill said Harvey apparently went outside to urinate and was not seen again by the crew members.
Hill said Harvey made his getaway around 6:15-6:30 a.m. but the sheriff’s department was not notified of the incident until about an hour later.
Harvey is described as being about 6 feet tall, weighing around 175 pounds with short graying hair and mustache. He was last seen wearing a black hoodie and orange inmate pants.
Harvey was arrested in Glenwood and charged July 19 with felony commercial burglary and possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor theft of property and possessing an instrument of crime.
According to case records, on the night of June 1, 2018 Harvey’s daughter, Debbie Pruitt, went to the Glenwood Police Department to turn herself in after seeing her and her father’s picture on social media concerning a commercial burglary the pair had allegedly committed earlier in the week.
The Hope Police Department was contacted and plans were made to pick up Pruitt. While Pruitt waited with GPD officers Jessica Babbitt and Amanda Baum, she told of local and statewide burglaries allegedly committed by Harvey.
Some of the crimes were committed with a crow bar Pruitt said she had bought her dad.
The Glenwood break-ins mentioned happened in March 2010 at Lux Café, Pizza Shack and Sonny’s Auto Parts and Pruitt provided the officers with details. Pruitt also mentioned a break-in at a Hallmark store in Benton, as well as a stolen gun, methamphetamine and paraphernalia located at Harvey’s home at 733 Scott Street in Glenwood.
Pruitt was picked up by the Hope PD at 1:15 a.m. on June 2.
A search warrant was executed the night of June 2 at the Scott Street home, which was occupied by Harvey and Monet Danielle Reavis, 34. Various drug paraphernalia, crowbars and other tools and several cell phones were located in the couple’s bedroom. In the room that belonged to Pruitt, more paraphernalia was found as well as what Officer Babbitt reported was a letter from Harvey from prison “discussing a secret plan.”
Chief Deputy Hill said Harvey is not considered dangerous and was awaiting a court date when he escaped.
Persons with any knowledge of Harvey’s whereabouts are asked to contact the Pike County Sheriff’s Department at (870) 285-3315.
