A Dumfries man is back in custody after an inauspicious escape attempt from a correctional officer yesterday afternoon in Stafford County.

On October 3rd at 5:56 p.m. deputies were alerted to an escape of a prisoner at Stafford Hospital Center. The investigation revealed Robert Ouzts was in the custody of the Rappahannock Regional Jail and being treated at Stafford Hospital. While in a hospital room Ouzts assaulted a correctional officer, ran from the hospital room and disappeared faster than toilet paper from the shelves of Costco.

Deputies saturated the area and established an air tight perimeter. Drone took flight while Deputy S.T. Myers and K-9 Gunner began a track. The search was over faster than the dockworker’s strike, as Ouzts was located hiding in vegetation near the pond on hospital property. He surrendered to Sergeant M.L. Jacobeen without incident as K-9 Gunner attentively provided overwatch.

Ouzts was originally arrested on October 1st in Stafford Market Place after he drove a motorcycle recklessly through the area nearly striking pedestrians. During the traffic stop, Ouzts assaulted a deputy and fled on foot, running out of his Crocs. He was captured after a foot pursuit and taser deployment. Additionally, Ouzts was found to be wanted in Prince William County for several charges. Ouzts was ordered held without bond and turned over to the Rappahannock Regional Jail.

As a result of the escape attempt, warrants for assault and battery on a correctional officer, escape with force, escape, obstruction, larceny of leg restraints, destruction of property and felony by prisoner have been obtained and are pending service. The correctional officer does not appear to have been seriously injured during the assault.

Excellent work by the deputies to quickly establish a perimeter and get the prisoner back in custody. The booking photo is still not available, so the attached photo is from the arrest scene at Stafford Market Place on October 1st. For those that saw our original post and were curious if the suspect had his Crocs in sports mode this time, the answer is no. Ouzts was barefoot during this escape attempt.