Byrge sentenced for escaping jail

A jail escapee was given probation last week for his dash from custody last month, which ended up landing friends and family behind bars for allegedly aiding him.

The defendant, Jeff Byrge, 18, was issued an 11-month, 29-day probationary sentence by General Sessions Judge Larry Ross this week for misdemeanor escape. His probation on the escape charge will be in addition to time he must spend in jail on a pair of violation of probation charges which will cost him 270 days. The violations were on former charges of domestic assault and DUI.

The sentence comes after Byrge dashed from Warren County Jail while awaiting booking. Sheriff Jackie Matheny said Byrge ran out the open back door when an employee walked inside. His dash came after police chased him down earlier in the day while trying to take him into custody on the probation violation charges outside the civic center.

Byrge was captured at a local apartment complex late last month. It was during the search for the fugitive, that lawmen arrested one of his friends and his mother, saying both aided him while he was on the run.