Cops: Inmate said ‘he had nothing to lose’ after trying to escape work detail

Deandre Ruffin

Credit: Georgia Department of Corrections

Credit: Georgia Department of Corrections

Deandre Ruffin

An inmate who escaped his prison work detail during a water break Wednesday was apprehended in Clayton County, the sheriff’s office said.

Deandre Ruffin, who was serving a four-year sentence, escaped while working at Rum Creek Park, deputies said in a news release.

According to the sheriff’s office, inmates were instructed to take a brief water break when Ruffin took off across Ga. 138 toward Ravens Run.

A manhunt was launched and Ruffin was apprehended a short time later along Saybrook Trail, authorities said.

Prison inmate Deandre Ruffin escaped his work detail at a Clayton County park Wednesday afternoon, police said. He was apprehended a short time later in a nearby neighborhood.

Credit: Clayton County Sheriff's Office

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Credit: Clayton County Sheriff's Office

When asked why he tried to run, Ruffin, who was born in 1999, said “he had nothing to lose,” according to the sheriff’s office

State prison records show Ruffin started his sentence late last month after he was convicted of robbery by force, theft by taking, theft by receiving stolen property and three counts of entering a vehicle. He isn’t eligible for release until June 2023, but it’s unclear how the alleged escape may impact his prison sentence.

After he was captured, Ruffin was shipped back to the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison in Jackson, authorities said.

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