Incredible footage captured the moment a police helicopter used infrared cameras to locate a Michigan inmate who escaped jail and was hiding in the woods.
asserted
who → capture → woods
Casie Jo Helsel, a 44-year-old man with an extensive criminal record, escaped the Crawford County Jail around 1.30pm on Monday, according to the Crawford County Sheriff's Office.
uncertain
Helsel → escape → Office
Authorities quickly realized he had fled and requested assistance from Michigan State Police to locate and capture the escapee.
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he → realize → escapee
State police dispatched a helicopter called 'Trooper 3,' which scanned a swampy wooded area behind a country club where Helsel was believed to be hiding.
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Helsel → dispatch → club
He was soon located and captured by 3.58pm, less than two-and-a-half hours after escaping jail.
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He → locate → jail
Michigan State Police released the infrared helicopter footage, which showed its officers working with the sheriff's office to locate and re-arrest Helsel.
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officers → release → Helsel
The black-and-white video shows the helicopter circling over trees before it zooms in on a bright white heat signature lying or crouching amid brush and debris.
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it → show → brush
A member of the aerial team could be heard saying that Helsel has run away from police before, and 'his MO is to hunker down, whether it be in the water, under a dock or at a stream on the edge and just wait 'till night.'
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it → hear → night
Remarkable police helicopter footage captured the moment a jail escapee was captured.
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escapee → capture → moment
The suspect's heat signature is pictured through the trees in the infrared camera footage
The video shows officers with a K-9 approaching the escapee's hiding spot as the aerial team guides them
Officers can be seen near the suspect, whose heat signature is slightly visible through the branches of the tree
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signature → picture → tree
A group of officers with a K-9 can later be seen approaching Helsel's hiding spot as the aerial team directs them.
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team → see → them
'You guys are almost standing on top of it.
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guys → stand → it
What we're seeing, heat-wise,' the aerial team could then be heard saying before an officer said: 'We got him.
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We → see → him
We got him.'
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We → get → him
Police said Helsel was found hiding under logs and debris.
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Helsel → say → logs
Several departments within Michigan State Police, as well as County Marine Patrol and the Crawford County Sheriff's Office, participated in the search.
'Great work by all who worked together to safely take the suspect into custody,' state police said.
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police → participate → custody
Crawford County Sheriff Ryan Swope said at a press conference that Helsel escaped the jail through a door that was propped open, WPBN reported.
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WPBN → say → door
Swope said that the door is used by staff to take items in and out of the jail, and that police do not believe the person who left it open did so with the intention of helping Helsel.
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who → say → Helsel
The sheriff added that his office will be conducting a detailed review of policies and procedures to prevent similar scenarios in the future.
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office → add → future
Helsel was being held in jail on assault and battery charges at the time of his alleged escape, according to court records.
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Helsel → hold → records
Casie Jo Helsel, 44, was captured after police searched for about two and a half hours.
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police → capture → hours
Helsel has a criminal history dating back more than 25 years
Officers could be seen surrounding Helsel in the footage before they found him hiding under logs and debris
The video briefly flicked to regular color, showing how it would have been nearly impossible to spot Helsel without the infrared mode
He had a pre-trial hearing on Sunday, and his next court appearance was scheduled for November 3, the records show.
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records → have → November
Michigan Department of Corrections records indicate that Helsel has an extensive criminal history dating back more than 25 years, and he previously served three prison sentences and two parole sentences.
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he → indicate → sentences
From 2005 to 2006, he was on parole for possession of a controlled substance and assaulting or resisting an officer.
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he → assault → officer
In 2016, Helsel was sentenced to two and a half years to five years in prison for larceny and possession of a controlled substance charges.
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Helsel → sentence → charges
In 2019, he was sentenced to three years and 11 months to seven and a half years in prison for fleeing an officer and obstruction of justice charges.
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he → sentence → justice
In 2024, he was sentenced to two years to seven and a half years in prison for charges of assaulting or resisting an officer and fleeing an officer.
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he → sentence → officer
Helsel was released on probation in February.
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Helsel → release → February
In September while still on probation, he allegedly committed the assault and battery he was in jail for at the time of his escape, court records show.
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records → commit → escape
The records do not indicate whether Helsel has been hit with additional charges for the alleged escape on Monday.
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Helsel → indicate → Monday
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