Inmate escapes while helping clean flood damage

By Megan Matteucci

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Gwinnett County officials are searching for an inmate who escaped while helping clean up debris left from the flood.

Gwinnett County Perry Bernard Williams, 27, escaped Tuesday while working on an inmate detail assigned to clean flood damage at a Lawrenceville park.

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Perry Bernard Williams, 27, was last seen in Collins Hill Park in Lawrenceville around 1:15 p.m. Tuesday, Gwinnett County spokeswoman Heather Sawyer said.

He was working as part of a Gwinnett County Department of Corrections detail assigned to clear mud and flood debris from the park, Sawyer said.

The Gwinnett County sheriff’s department is investigating the escape.

Williams, of Marietta, was convicted June 23 of theft by receiving stolen property. A Gwinnett County Superior Court judge sentenced him to serve 24 months in the county's work release program. He was transferred to the county jail on July 1 after he violated the program's rules, county officials said.

Williams is described as a black male, 5 feet 11 inches, 150 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.