Video: Inmate caught in country club swamp after escaping jail
GRAYLING, Mich. – A fugitive inmate didn’t make it very far after breaking out of a county jail in northern Michigan. Police found him hiding in a wooded area near a country club about a mile down the road – and drone footage captured the moment officers closed in on him.
Fleeing to the country club swamps
The backstory:
According to the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Casie Jo Helsel escaped the jail through a propped door around 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 26. Employees use the door to take things in and out of the facility.
Helsel was in jail for eluding police and a probation violation, Sheriff Ryan Swope said during a press conference streamed by UpNorthLive.
Before his escape on Monday, Helsel changed out of his orange jumpsuit and put on a white T-shirt and shorts.
The sheriff’s office posted his mugshot and warned the public that the 44-year-old could be in the swamps behind the Grayling Country Club.
Casie Jo Helsel, 44, was captured after escaping jail on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, according to the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office. (Photo provided by the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office) (Crawford County Sheriff’s Office)
‘We got him’
Dig deeper:
Michigan State Police joined the search, bringing in its K-9 unit, aviation squad and other tactical teams to help look for Helsel.
A helicopter crew used thermal technology to direct officers on the ground. In a 42-second video clip of the mission, an aerial operator said Helsel appeared to be buried in a big pile of brush and junk.
“You guys should be getting pretty close, about 10 feet,” the operator said. “You guys are surrounding him good. Everything’s looking good.”
Seconds later, officers captured Helsel hiding under logs and debris and safely took him into custody.
“We got him. We got him,” the operator said.
The search lasted less than three hours, but according to authorities, it’s not the first time Helsel has been in this type of predicament.
Earlier in the video, an aviation crew member said: “He’s ran on us several times, and his M.O. is to hunker down, whether it be in the water, under a dock or at a stream on the edge.”
What’s next:
Sheriff Swope said he doesn’t believe the individuals who left the door propped open did it to help Helsel escape. He said the office will review the incident with “great detail” and make any changes to its policies to ensure something like this doesn’t happen again.
The Source: Information for this article was provided by the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan State Police and Storyful. This story was reported in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
