Escaped Rockdale Inmate Captured After Overnight Search in Covington

A coordinated overnight search involving Covington Police and Rockdale County authorities ended with the safe arrest of escaped Rockdale County inmate Timothy Shane early Wednesday morning.

Covington officers were first called around 6 p.m. to Pennington Street after a resident reported seeing a man matching Shane’s description. Officers searched the area for more than an hour but found no sign of him.

Just after 1 a.m., a homeowner on Green Acres Court reported that someone was banging on her door. When officers arrived, the suspect was gone, but Ring camera footage clearly showed clothing matching what Shane had been wearing. The video was sent to Rockdale County investigators, who quickly confirmed it was him. Multiple Rockdale units, including their K-9 team, responded to assist.

As officers expanded the search, another homeowner on Ford Street reported the suspect knocking on their door and heading toward the Sterling Lakes area. The caller also said the man’s clothes were soaked, which suggested he had been moving through woods or water.

More sighting calls came in from the Thrash Street area, and the K-9 team began tracking but did not immediately locate him. Officers regrouped and restarted the track from Thrash Street, which ultimately led them to an abandoned home on Morris Drive.

After spotting a broken rear window, officers held their position and waited for additional units before entering. Once inside, they found Shane hiding and took him into custody without incident. He was immediately turned over to Rockdale County deputies.

Police credited the successful capture to strong communication between agencies, persistence from all officers involved, and timely information from local residents.