One of two inmates who escaped from the Sac County jail on Friday afternoon has been apprehended. The other remains at-large. Sac County Sheriff, Ken McClure, says a female correctional officer was overpowered by 25-year-old Shawn Patrick Freier while 35-year-old Joseph Lee Sly was being moved from the main cell area to a holding cell at about 4:25 p.m. Freier grabbed the officer, pulling her into the main cell block and shutting the door, locking her inside. As the two inmates ran down a stairwell, a courthouse custodian heard the correctional officer screaming and opened a locked door at the bottom of the stairs. Sly pushed his way through the door and ran down the hall, exiting the building. Freier entered the kitchen area and jumped out of a first-floor window. He ran south as Sly ran north. Law enforcement agencies from the surrounding area responded to assist with the search and a drone and the Sac County K-9 were brought in as well. The ground search was called off after dark. At approximately 7:28 this (Saturday) morning, an off-duty Lake View Reserve Police officer spotted Sly walking on N. 5th Street in Sac City. The officer was able to take Sly into custody without incident. He has been returned to the Sac County jail. Freier remains at-large and is considered dangerous. He is serving a sentence for domestic violence charges and Sly is facing charges in Calhoun County for domestic violence and sexual abuse. Both are now being charged with escape from custody with other charges pending. No injuries were reported in the incident. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Shawn Patrick Freier is asked to call the Sac County Sheriff’s Office at 712-662-7127 or 911. The Sac City, Lake View, Carroll and Fonda Police Departments, Carroll and Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Offices, the Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Department of Natural Resources Conservation officers, emergency management from Calhoun and Webster Counties and Webster and Sac County Emergency Medical Services assisted at the scene.
