Arkansas escapee produces heighten security at Crescent Schools

An inmate escaped an Arkansas prison last week and two women are believed to be assisting his escape, according to the Arkansas Department of Corrections. The man has Oklahoma ties and one of the alleged accomplices has ties in Logan County.

Crescent Public Schools were made aware of the situation late Tuesday prompting a safety update from Superintendent Dr. Courtney Knapp.

The escapee is 38-year-old Samuel Hartman — described as standing 5 feet, 9 inches tall, and weighing 230 pounds — and his two alleged accomplices are Misty Hartman and Linda Annette White. The two accomplices are reportedly Hartman’s mother and sister.

Hartman was serving a life sentence on rape charges. In 2013, he was arrested for raping his stepdaughter, a minor under the age of 14.

“His two accomplices, one with ties to Logan County and Crescent Public Schools, may try to come to the community and/or school,” Knapp said in her update. “It is critical that you partner with us to make sure our schools and our community are safe.”

The Crescent Police Department, along with the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, is providing extra security in the area.

Police are saying to be on the lookout for a white, four-door 2021 Chevy Trail Box. The Arkansas license tag, if still on the truck, is 398 ZVY.

Hartman is considered to be armed and dangerous.

Crescent Police Chief Andy Stephens tells Guthrie News Page that there is not a specific threat, but are being cautious.

“There is no specific threat towards the school.”

Escape from Prison

On the morning of August 12, officials with the Arkansas Department of Corrections said that inmate Samuel Hartman, 38, escaped from the East Arkansas Regional Unit in Brickeys.

Arkansas State Police stated that a farmer reported seeing two abandoned jet skis on a boat ramp. Deputies found the jet skis abandoned on a boat ramp near Mhoon Landing Park, and they said that they believe that Hartman used the jet skis.

It has been reported that the women were seen bringing in a pair of jet skis by trailer days before Hartman’s escape from Arkansas and at one time several vehicles had been backed into the woods and covered up.