Authorities continue their search for an inmate considered dangerous after he escaped from a county jail in Northern California four days ago.
Caleb Lee Duerr, 39, escaped from the Plumas County Jail around 8:15 a.m. Friday during a recreation period, exiting a yard at the detention facility and passing through two gated areas. He escaped in dark blue prison clothes. Duerr is 6 feet tall, weighs about 165 pounds and has brown hair and blue eyes.
Duerr escaped from jail and made it to an O’Reilly Auto Parts store, where he immediately got a ride from someone who was in the store, the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office announced in a news release Monday evening.
Sheriff’s officials said the man who gave Duerr a ride told investigators he dropped off the escaped inmate at Highway 70 and County Road A-23 near Beckwourth. Duerr was last seen Friday between 9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. walking southbound on Road A-23 near the gravel pits.
The Sheriff’s Office has mobilized all available personnel to help find Duerr, officials said.
At 8:35 a.m. Friday, the Sheriff’s Office notified the Plumas Unified School District of the jailbreak. Sheriff’s officials began calling other law enforcement agencies in the area for their K9 units and aircraft to help find Duerr. Notifications then went out to the public.
After the public reports were made, the Sheriff’s Office received several reports from people who had seen Duerr in various areas between Quincy and Portola. Patrol officers responded to these possible sightings, but it all turned out to be a misidentification. Duerr wasn’t there.
Sheriff’s officials said K9 units did not pick up a scent in the area of ​​Road A-23 and that aircraft searches were unsuccessful. Personnel from Plumas, Sierra, Butte and Yuba counties, the California Highway Patrol and the US Forest Service, along with aircraft from the CHP and Washoe County, searched for Duerr throughout Friday.
The Sheriff’s Office worked with multiple county agencies, along with other local, state and federal agencies to find and arrest Duerr.
Sheriff’s officials said Duerr has been sending emails to people since escaping from jail, suggesting Duerr has been given a cell phone or has access to a computer with the Internet.
Duerr has family and friends in California, Oregon and Nevada. Sheriff’s officials believe it’s possible the escaped inmate left the area to get help from them. Sheriff’s officials said Duerr is considered dangerous, and they urged anyone who sees him not to talk to him or help him.
Investigators asked anyone who sees Duerr or has information about his whereabouts to call the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office at 530-283-6300 or 911.
