Irvine Police: Escaped inmate has extensive criminal history

IRVINE, Ky. (WTVQ) – Authorities say an escaped inmate could be a danger to the community based on his criminal history.

The Irvine Police Department says Monday night, Jason Gay, 37, was being transferred from London to the jail in Estill County by a sheriff’s deputy when Gay slipped out of his handcuffs and ran off.

The Irvine Police Chief says Gay has an extensive criminal history. Court records call him a "persistent felony offender" and "high risk."

Gay’s charged with a variety of crimes according to records ABC 36 found from five different counties in Kentucky.

Some charges are for drugs or alcohol and receiving stolen property. Other charges include resisting arrest, running from police and having a handgun as a convicted felon. He’s also accused of jumping bail and not appearing in court, among other charges.

Police say Monday night around 11:30, Gay slipped out of the handcuffs and ran to a nearby water treatment plant where he stole a pickup truck and drove off. The owner of the truck, a security guard at the plant, shot three of the tires trying to stop Gay but police say he kept driving.

The truck was later found but officers say Gay is still missing. They believe he is armed with a machete that was in the truck.

Officers believe Gay has family in Richmond and that he could be heading that way.

Authorities in several counties are now looking for him.

The Estill County sheriff says he isn’t sure how Gay got out of the handcuffs. He won’t comment on any changes that might be made to prevent this from happening again until he’s gone over all the information about the escape.