Murder suspect attacks jailer, escapes in Choctaw County

HUGO, Okla. (AP) -- A murder suspect is on the loose in southeastern Oklahoma after beating a jailer and escaping from the Choctaw County Jail in Hugo.<br/><br/>Sheriff Louis Collins says inmate Johnathon

Friday, June 10th 2005, 9:40 am

By: News On 6

HUGO, Okla. (AP) -- A murder suspect is on the loose in southeastern Oklahoma after beating a jailer and escaping from the Choctaw County Jail in Hugo.

Sheriff Louis Collins says inmate Johnathon Johnson threw scalding water on a jailer about 11:15 Thursday night, then beat the jailer before escaping. Collins declined to release the jailer's name, but says he's been taken to a Tulsa hospital for surgery.

The sheriff says deputies, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and Hugo police are using tracking dogs as they search for Johnson east of Hugo.

Collins says Johnson was being held in the February beating death of a man in Antlers. Johnson is one of four men accused of beating William Varner to death during a robbery.

Collins says Johnson is white and was last seen wearing white T-shirt, sweatpants and has shaved head and moustache.