DAYTON — A jail inmate who escaped work detail Thursday may face new felony charges after attempting to barricade himself inside a residence before fleeing, according to Dayton police.
Brandon Wayne Dotson was apprehended around 1:20 pm. and accused of burglary. However, he has not been formally charged.
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The 30-year-old walked away from work detail at the Dayton Art Institute around 11:15 a.m.
Police received a call early Thursday afternoon about a possible burglary in the 300 block of West Grand Street.
When they arrived on scene, Grandview Hospital police had already apprehended Dotson.
Two West Grand Street residents reported that they saw Dotson move across a second story balcony before climbing down a tree and running toward Food Time Market on Geyer Street.
“I looked up, there’s a man on my balcony in a blue suit,” said Robert Voise.
Dotson had changed out of his orange jumpsuit and into a blue coverall he found in Voise’s basement.
When Voise asked Dotson what he was doing, Dotson reportedly said he was doing balcony work before taking off.
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Voise and the other resident chased after Dotson, with Grandview Hospital police joining the pursuit.
Voise said that a driver passing through the area also joined to help.
“Says ‘Get in the car. I’ll help you catch him,’” Voise said.
Dotson led the group away from the hospital, before cutting behind a mini-market.
After running down an alley on Geyer Street, Dotson reportedly tried to blend in with a construction crew.
“He even picked up a wheelbarrow, like he was working to avoid capture,” said Voise.
The chase ended there, with Grandview Hospital police handcuffing Dotson in the alley.
“It was like a slow motion picture because all these people are running, driving, descending on this man and he was clearly in plain sight the whole time,” Voise said. “It was odd.”
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Dayton police reportedly believe that Dotson fled to West Grand Street and climbed a tree before accessing the second story balcony of a residence in the 300 block.
He then shimmied to a neighboring home's balcony and entered a multi-unit residence that was under construction.
Dotson barricaded the front, rear and interior side doors before changing into a blue coverall.
Dotson was initially in jail on a misdemeanor. Now, he could face multiple new felony charges.
If convicted, he would move from the Montgomery County Jail to a prison and have to serve a longer sentence.