Escaped Georgia inmate caught after ordering Ubers to evade local authorities

Timothy Shane ordered two Ubers during his three days on the run. Photo / Rockdale County Sheriff's Office

A wanted man has been captured after a three-day manhunt during which he ordered several ride-share cars to evade police.

Timothy Shane escaped Georgia state custody in the early hours of Monday, fleeing from a local hospital on foot, NBC News reported in the United States.

After he crashed a stolen SUV, the prisoner resorted to ordering multiple Ubers to continue his getaway.

Rockdale County Sheriff Eric J. Levett told NBC News it’s unclear how Shane was able to order the rides, because he did not have a phone when he was taken back into custody.

“This is just one incident where an inmate escaped. How they may have escaped, why they escaped, is under investigation, and we’re going to determine how and why.”

The 52-year-old had been admitted to Grady Memorial Hospital on Sunday (US time) after an incident police now believe was likely staged, according to the US Sun.

He stole multiple vehicles during his time on the run, including a Pontiac Grand Prix that was discovered abandoned in a supermarket carpark.

Rockdale authorities had been offering a reward of US$5000 ($8663) for information about the “armed and dangerous” convict before he was apprehended on Wednesday.

Shane’s sister told local news publication 11 Alive that he had been in and out of prison since he was 19 years old.

“No one is addressing the fact that this person is not just running around stealing cars with a gun. He’s mentally ill,” she said.

“He’s paranoid schizophrenic, that developed in prison, probably from the meth addiction he got while in prison.”

According to Fox 5, he was initially arrested at the culmination of a 205km/h car pursuit on November 23, ending with his tasering by police.