THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, August 15, 1995 TAG: 9508150384
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY ANNE SAITA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CURRITUCK LENGTH: Short : 44 lines
A woman who escaped from the Currituck County jail last week was caught Monday morning while watching television at a home in Elizabeth City.
Stephanie Ellen Scherb, 23, of Grandy was being transported last Thursday evening from the Currituck County Jail to the Tri-County Jail in Elizabeth City when she fled - barefoot and bound by handcuffs - from jailer Betty Fairchild.
Despite a massive hunt that involved a Coast Guard helicopter crew, a local fire department and police from three localities, Scherb remained at large until about 11:45 a.m. Monday.
She was charged with escaping from jail after a Currituck detective received a tip that she was at a home on Pearl Street in Elizabeth City.
Scherb was first taken into custody Thursday after a Pasquotank County grand jury indicted her on charges of possessing, selling and delivering cocaine, and maintaining a dwelling to sell and deliver the controlled substance. All are felony charges.
Scherb was being taken to Elizabeth City because Currituck does not have a separate facility for women inmates, as required by state law.
As she was being escorted to the transport vehicle, she broke away from Fairchild. The jailer failed to catch Scherb and ran back to the sheriff's department to get help, a police spokeswoman said.
Scherb got out of her handcuffs that night after ``she'd loosened them with some water,'' said Susan Johnson of the Currituck County Sheriff's Department.
In addition to the Coast Guard and local firefighters, who used the spotlight on a fire truck to illuminate areas around the jail, Currituck police got help from the Pasquotank County Sheriff's Department and the Detective Bureau of the Elizabeth City Police Department.
Roadblocks also were set up that evening near the jail, next to the Currituck County Courthouse.
KEYWORDS: PRISON ESCAPEE CAPTURE by CNB