An escaped Mississippi Department of Corrections inmate is back in custody after being shot by a carjacking victim in Webster County.
Webster County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Dillion Cates said the department got a 911 call at about 7:55 a.m. Wednesday that reported a male victim had been carjacked on Highway 9, just outside Eupora. Cates said the carjacking happened after the man offered 37-year-old Eugene Robinson a ride to town.
“The caller stated that a man came to his house, wanting to come inside and saying he was cold,” Cates said. “The man (victim) denied him, but told him he’d give him a ride to town.
“During the ride to town, the suspect pulled a knife on the driver and told him to get out of the car,” Cates added. “He did, but once he got out, he fired several shots at the suspect with his concealed .380”
Cates said the carjacking victim had a concealed carry permit. One of the shots hit Robinson in the back, though it turned out to be a superficial wound, as he continued driving the stolen car along Highway 9 and onto Highway 82.
From there, Cates said, Robinson turned south onto Highway 15 in Mathiston. As he continued south, a Webster County employee ended up driving behind him.
“The worker was listening to the radio in his vehicle,” Cates said. “He heard our radio traffic and immediately assisted us.”
Robinson continued south into Choctaw County, where Mississippi Department of Transportation vehicles were out on the highway with their lights on. Cates said that spooked Robinson who, thinking the MDOT vehicles might have been police, turned around and went north into Webster County.
Cates said Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Choctaw County Sheriff’s Office and Mathiston Police Department intercepted Robinson at the Choctaw-Webster county line and arrested him without incident
Robinson was taken to OCH Regional Medical Center in Starkville, where he was treated and released to the MDOC.
Robinson, 37, escaped the George County Regional Correctional Facility in Lucedale on Saturday. According to MDOC, he fled the facility after tying up an officer and stealing the officer’s champagne 2000 GMC Sonoma truck at about 7 p.m. Saturday.
Cates said Robinson will face an additional charge for the carjack in Webster County, and likely more charges for his escape from George County.
Robinson has been in prison since 2003. He was serving a combined 30 years for armed robbery in Choctaw County and burglary in Oktibbeha County at the time of his escape, according to MDOC.
Crimestoppers had been offering a reward of up to $2,500 for Robinson’s capture.
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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