A state inmate who escaped from a work detail in North Georgia in May has been captured, authorities said.

Bryan Gary Duke, 49, was caught Friday in the Chattanooga area, the Times Free Press reported.

An East Ridge, Tenn., police officer saw a car illegally parked in a handicapped spot outside a Motel 6, the newspaper reported. When the officer knocked on the door to a room, Duke tried to run. An officer caught him and found the keys to the car in his pocket.

The car was reported stolen out of Delray Beach, Fla., the newspaper reported. The officer concluded Duke was wanted in Catoosa County.

Duke was sentenced in April to a five-year prison term for theft by receiving, giving false information and obstructing a police officer, officials said.

But instead of sending Duke to state prison, County Manager Jim Walker said Catoosa officials worked out an agreement to let him stay at the county jail. In exchange, he would do paintings on government buildings for free.

The deal came after Duke painted a mural at the sheriff's office, the Times Free Press reported. Duke also painted an American flag, a bald eagle, a Georgia flag and a peach in the boardroom of the county administrative building.

In other news:

Investigators say the driver shot and killed another person.

About the Author

Keep Reading

As the violence at Macon State Prison has intensified, so, too, have the calls for ambulance service. And because of those calls, the county now finds itself dealing with an unexpected and costly burden: more than $100,000 in unpaid bills. (Hyosub Shin / Hyosub.Shin@ajc.com)

Featured

People join a rally in support for U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees on Tuesday afternoon, April 1, 2025, at the Atlanta headquarters after federal cuts triggered significant layoffs. (Photo: Jenni Girtman for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Credit: Jenni Girtman