Man who fled jail lobby charged

According to Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith, Michael Keith McElroy, 32, ran away from police after he came into the unsecured jail lobby as a free man at about 5:30 p.m. in order to register as a sex offender. His probation violation was unrelated to any sex offender charges, said Smith.

During the fingerprinting process, deputies determined that McElroy had a valid warrant for his arrest for a probation violation. Smith said deputies told McElroy that he was in custody, but they allowed him to pass over his wallet and other personal items to a girlfriend or family member who arrived with him, the sheriff said.
“When he arrived, he anticipated he would be leaving with his family,” said Smith.

While doing so, McElroy ran out the door of the lobby and led police on an approximate 45-minute chase. Deputies eventually found him in a wooded area. During the time of the incident, rumors began circulating that an armed inmate had escaped from the bellies of the jail.

A post on the sheriff’s office Facebook page Thursday night attempted to dispel the rumors:
“It was rumored that an armed inmate had escaped this evening from the Barrow County Detention Center. A person arrived at the jail to register as a sex offender in the public entrance of the jail. It was determined the man was wanted for an unrelated probation violation and he ran from the lobby of the jail when he was advised of the warrant. The man was unarmed and ran into the woods next to the jail. He was located about 45 minutes later and taken into custody without further incident.”

Smith said he wasn’t sure how the rumor got started, but word spread that McElroy was “armed and dangerous.”
He only fled, said Smith. And when he was caught, he went without incident.

McElroy is charged with felony escape and willful obstruction of law enforcement officers, which is a misdemeanor.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation website indicates that McElroy was convicted of child molestation on Nov. 30, 2004.