State Prison officials tell NewsChannel 15 they're looking for two inmates who escaped from a work site Sunday morning in Florence County.
Officials say Dameon Simpson and Kyle Norris are serving time at Palmer's Pre-release minimum security prison. The two work the late shift at McCall Farms in Effingham.
Clark Newsome, communications director for the state prison system, says the men left the farm and didn't go back to the prison. Newsome says they first realized Simpson was missing when he didn't show up for the count at 4:20 Sunday morning.
They discovered Norris was missing around 9 a.m. Newsome says they aren't sure if the two inmates are together, but says they may be driving a stolen hunter green-colored 1982 Jeep Cherokee with South Carolina license tag number SC 3306FJ. Officials plan to review surveillance footage from the farm to see if Simpson and Norris left together.
Newsome tells NewsChannel 15 Simpson got the keys to operate a machine on the farm from a co-worker. He says the co-worker's keys to his car were on the ring.
Newsome says Norris was scheduled to be released in six months and Simpson would have been released in September of 2013.
According to the South Carolina Department of Correction's website, Simpson is serving a five year sentence for a hit and run in Horry County. Norris is listed as serving a five year sentence for second degree burglary in Darlington County.
The Florence County Sheriff's Office and state prison officials are investigating the escapes. If you see Simpson or Norris, you're asked to call police.
