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Escapee caught at Wal-Mart
Two others face charges for helping inmate
command staff
Authorities coordinate the search from the jail parking lot. - photo by Jim Dean
Authorities have captured a man they say escaped Wednesday night from the Forsyth County Detention Center with the help of his girlfriend and another inmate.

Forsyth County Sheriff’s Capt. Frank Huggins said Timothy Eric Gibson was arrested while shopping for clothes about 3:15 p.m. Thursday at Wal-Mart on Market Place Boulevard.

Sheriff Ted Paxton said authorities received a tip that Gibson, 34, of Burma Road, was in the vicinity of the supercenter.

In addition to the escape charge, Gibson will also face felony drug charges, Paxton said. 

At the time of his arrest, he had 11 hydrocodone pills in his possession. Hydrocodone, a Schedule III narcotic, is available only with a physician’s prescription.

Gibson has been returned to the detention center, where he was originally being held on charges of theft by deception, theft by taking, forgery and probation violation.

He was also on probation for burglary and felony theft by shoplifting in Forsyth and Hall counties.

Wednesday night’s search for Gibson took authorities from the facility in downtown Cumming to a stream along Pilgrim Mill Road near Ga. 400.

The sheriff’s office discovered Gibson missing about 6:45 p.m. Wednesday.

Huggins said authorities put the jail on lockdown after receiving a tip about the escape.

After reviewing video footage, Huggins said authorities determined that Gibson escaped about 4:40 p.m. from the facility’s recreation yard.

He reportedly climbed a wall and used an exit sign and door frame for leverage.

Huggins said another inmate, 21-year-old Tobias Evans Johnson, assisted Gibson.

Johnson, who is being held on various drug offenses, faces a felony charge of aiding a prisoner to escape.

Huggins said Gibson’s girlfriend, 25-year-old Shana Renee Armstrong of Canton, was arrested early Thursday and charged with helping Gibson.

“She apparently was involved in hiding clothes for him at a nearby location,” Huggins said.

Armstrong, whose bond has been set at $22,000, is charged with conspiracy to commit a crime of escape, a felony.

She had been arrested on April 28 and charged with hindering apprehension of a fugitive, which is also a felony.  She was out on bond on that charge.

Check back for updates at forsythnews.com or see the next edition of the Forsyth County News.