A Waterproof man being booked into the LaSalle Parish Jail escaped during the early morning hours of Friday, June 18, 2021, but was caught less than 24 hours later by deputies from the LaSalle Parish Sheriff’s Office, according to law enforcement officials.

Earl Hatten, 44, was stopped by Deputies late in the evening of Thursday, June 17th, in Olla, on a traffic stop where he proceeded to give officers a false identity. After finding out his true identity, and learning he had several contempt of court warrants from Catahoula Parish, he was transported to the LaSalle Parish Jail to be booked on the outstanding warrants.

Around 1:10 a.m. on Friday, June 18th, Hatten allegedly became aggressive with the jailer who was attempting to book him, eventually overpowering the jailer and leading the jailer to believe that he was armed with a weapon. Hatten then allegedly forced the jailer from the third floor jail of the LaSalle Parish Courthouse to the basement area where he then fled out of the rear of the courthouse in an Eastward direction.

“A manhunt was conducted all day Friday searching for Hatten and eventually information was learned that he was at a residence located on the LaSalle-Catahoula parish line on LA 8 East,” Detective Brant King said. “We went to the residence late Friday evening and found him and he was arrested without incident.” He was transported back to the LaSalle Parish Jail where he was booked on the following charges: Resisting an Officer by Providing False Information; Aggravated Escape; 2nd Degree Kidnapping; and as a fugitive from Catahoula Parish.

The Sheriff’s Office notes that Hatten might have been captured even sooner had they not been given false information from someone wanting to play a joke on Deputies. Shortly after Hatten fled from the jail on foot someone gave deputies a false sighting report on purpose, as a “joke.” Due to this false report, LPSO began to track with our bloodhound in the wrong direction. This put the search about an hour and a half behind the suspect which later had to begin the track again from the courthouse. The new tack went for about 2.5 miles before Sheriff Franklin called off the track due to the amount of time that had passed since the escape.

It is to be noted that giving such false information placed the lives of citizens in danger along with having the search continue much longer than what would have taken.

Press time: 06/22/2021 09:38