Jeffrey Collins
/ Courtesy: Horry County PD
An escaped suspect from Conway Medical Center is the same man who just hours earlier led police on a two-state chase, NewsChannel 15 has learned.
Jeffrey Collins, 50, escaped from Conway Medical Center around 7:00 p.m. Monday after being taken there for medical evaluation.
On Monday morning, Collins led Brunswick, NC, police on a chase into Horry County. Once here, police say Collins ran into Sea Coast Medical Center, then ran out and stole a van.
From there, Collins drove to Big Lots near 6th Avenue South and ran inside. Inside, he called a cab who came and picked him up before police could arrest him.
North Myrtle Beach police officers worked with the cab company and eventually arrested Collins after he was dropped off near Ocean Boulevard in North Myrtle Beach. He was arrested on the beach, according to that city's spokeswoman.
At some point, Horry County Police took custody of Collins and tried to book him into J. Reuben Long Detention Center. But jail officials rejected Collins and instead directed the police officers to take him to Conway Medical Center for evaluation, the jail's director Tom Fox said.
Because of federal privacy laws, Fox was unable to provide information regarding Collins' medical condition.
At 4:24 p.m., Collins was taken to the hospital's emergency room for testing, the hospital's spokeswoman, Julie Rajotte, said. While diagnostic tests were being performed, Collins was released from restraints and then bolted from the hospital at 7:04 pm.
Because of his direction of travel, nearby Kingston Nursing Center was placed on a precautionary lockdown. By 9:30 Monday night, the lockdown was lifted as police dogs were unable to locate Collins' scent.
Horry County Police say around 10:35pm, officers found a 1997 Ford F-150 that was reported stolen, possibly occupied by the Collins. Officers began pursuing the vehicle on Hwy. 544 and then into the Murrells Inlet area. The vehicle crashed on Elk Dr. in the Murrells Inlet section of Horry County and the driver, believed to e Collins, fled on foot. Officers searched the area, along with members of the Bloodhound Tracking Team, but were unsuccessful.
Collins is wanted by Horry County Police now for escape, but additional charges could be filed, the department's spokesman said.
The charges he faces from Brunswick County have not yet been made available.
