Escapees caught in the area of U.S. 129 South

GAINESVILLE - Hall County authorities said the two men who escaped from police custody Thursday night have been captured.

Hall County Sheriff's Col. Jeff Strickland said a Georgia State Patrol helicopter spotted James Oliver Mills and Jimmie Lee Mills in the woods near U.S. 129 South (Athens Highway) around 5:30 p.m. Friday.

"After a short foot chase they were taken into custody without incident," he said.

Strickland said a vehicle that the two men stole from Calvary Church Road earlier Friday, a 1971 Jeep pick-up truck, was also recovered.

"They later abandoned that vehicle near the Hall-Jackson County line and got a ride up to 129 near Oak Grove Church," he said.

Strickland said that is where the two suspects were spotted by the helicopter.

Prior to the vehicle theft, Strickland said the two men were seen trying to break into a home on Lee Land Road.

"Witnesses saw two males attempt to break into an unoccupied residence then they fled into a wooded area," said Strickland.

Strickland said deputies, Georgia State Patrol air support and a canine unit began to scour the area where the noon-time burglary took place.

"One of the witnesses believed that one of the perpetrators was handcuffed," he said.

Sgt. Jay Parrish of the Gainesville Police Department said early Friday the pair, who had been arrested on parole warrants, were able to escape a patrol car as the officer was pulling into the parking area near the jail. However, Sgt. Parrish said the exact circumstances that lead to the escape are still under investigation. Lt. Brian Kelly said later in the morning that that was still the case.

Parrish said both were in handcuffs at the time of the escape.