A Butler County inmate escaped Monday morning from the Butler County jail.

The suspect, 22-year-old Adolph Davidson, was arrested last weekend on Crenshaw Road in Greenville for various charges in North Carolina.

The escape occurred Monday morning between 7 and 7:10 as convicts at the county jail were preparing for their morning routine.

Sheriff Diane Harris said a correction officer went to the top floor of the jail for cleanup, then checked the back of the jail and headed to the front for cleanup. "Davidson headed toward the dayroom of the jail, but kept going and ran out the front door and jumped the razor-wire fence," said Harris.

After escaping from the jail, Davidson stole a truck along with a .22 rifle, which was in the truck, from Camellia Auto, located across the street from the jail, and headed toward the Greenville Bypass.

Davidson was chased by Greenville police and Butler County sheriff's deputies up Highway 45 into Lowndes County.

Davidson then ditched the stolen vehicle in the woods on Highway 45 and stole another truck, and was involved in a collision on Highway 37, from which he fled into the woods.

Officers said that by that time, Davidson had stripped down to either his underwear or nothing at all.

A CSX train was headed through the area during the time in which Davidson fled into the woods, and officials were afraid Davidson had jumped onto the train when it stopped in the Calhoun community.

The train then stopped in Greenville, where officers searched the 115-car train for the escapee.

After a three-plus hour search with the K-9 unit from the Department of Public Safety in Montgomery, Davidson was taken in custody in the Calhoun community near the scene of the accident in which he was involved with the second stolen vehicle.

He was wearing only his underwear.

Sheriff Harris said Davidson was transported to L.V. Stabler Memorial Hospital where he was treated for briar cuts and exposure.

After receiving treatment, he was transported to Lowndes County jail where he was placed under maximum security, considered a flight risk.

According to Davidson, he was running for his freedom.' "I was just running,"

Davidson said.

"I didn't want to hurt anybody."

Davidson is wanted in North Carolina on charges of assaulting a female, two counts of assault with a weapon, second degree kidnapping, first degree burglary and communicating threats.

Davidson will now face charges of escape, two counts of first degree theft and a charge of second degree theft for stealing the .22 rifle from the first stolen pick-up.