Two inmates break out of their jail cell, make their getaway, cops say

Officials in the Florida panhandle are searching for two inmates who escaped their Washington County jail cell late Sunday night.

Ronly D. Pardo, 27, and David A. Anderson, 39, escaped their jail cell around 11 p.m. Sunday by chipping away at a portion of the wall under the cell’s sink, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. The men were able to access a maintenance room that led to the jail yard. They then crawled under the padlocked gate they bent.

Early Monday, deputies learned of a vehicle was stolen about one mile from the jail. Officials believe Pardo and Anderson took the vehicle, described as a 1996 silver or beige Lincoln Town Car with a vinyl top and Florida dealer’s plate PH712D, and fled the area.

“We have had a tremendous amount of support from several local law enforcement agencies concerning this investigation, as well as the U.S. Marshals Felony Fugitive Task Force and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE),” said Sheriff Kevin Crews. “We will not stop until both of these individuals have been apprehended.”

Pardo was being held in jail to face second-degree murder charges after the fatal stabbing of an inmate at the Northwest Florida Reception Center in June, according to the sheriff’s office. He was serving a prison sentence there after being convicted of two counts of sale of marijuana and one count of lewd and lascivious battery.

Anderson was awaiting trial on charges stemming from a chase that originated in Georgia and ended when he was arrested in Washington County in May, according to the sheriff’s office. He was booked on several charges, including fleeing and eluding law enforcement with disregard to safety of person or property, use or display of weapon during felony offense, and drug charges. Anderson was also being held after a July arrest, for failing to appear in court after being sentenced to 22 years in prison pm trafficking charges.

Anyone who may come into contact with the inmates should use extreme caution and call 911 immediately, Sheriff Crews warned in a Facebook post.

Those with information about the whereabouts of Pardo or Anderson can call the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at 850-638-6111 or anonymously by calling 850-638-TIPS (8477) or by email at tips@wcso.us.

This story was originally published December 19, 2017 at 10:17 AM with the headline "Two inmates break out of their jail cell, make their getaway, cops say."