Mercer prisoner nearly escapes; jailer's hearing aid destroyed

By Karla Ward - kward1@herald-leader.com

A man being transported by the Mercer County jailer created mayhem when he tried to escape Saturday afternoon.

Roy Lee Cox, 44, of Harrodsburg, escaped from Jailer Cleo Baker's vehicle at 1:46 p.m. while en route to the Boyle County Detention Center, according to a news release from the Danville Police Department.

Baker chased after Cox, and then Cox stole his vehicle and tried to drive away.

While trying to cross the U.S. 127 bypass, Cox hit the driver's side of another vehicle carrying a family of three, but no one was injured. Then Baker and an off-duty Boyle County deputy jailer, Ryan Hundley, tried to detain Cox.

Baker was "hit in the right ear, causing a laceration and destroying a hearing aid" during the struggle, according to the release.

Cox was eventually apprehended with the help of Ricky Sellers, an off-duty Danville officer.

Cox had originally been arrested in Mercer County on a probation violation warrant out of Fayette County.

He now faces additional charges of escape, fleeing and evading, assault, criminal mischief, theft by unlawful taking over $300 and three counts of wanton endangerment.

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