A defendant intended to turn himself in to jail, but changed his mind and fled when he learned he faced additional arrest warrants Saturday outside the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center.

But defendant Robert Andrew Smith’s freedom was short-lived when Sheriff Robert Arnold, who was driving nearby, apprehended him within moments near the detention center on Old Salem Highway.

Smith, 24, of Old Lascassas Pike, and his bondsman came to the jail with the intention of turning himself in on a harassing phone call.

Deputy Amanda McPherson met them outside the secure booking facility and attempted to take him into custody on additional charges. Smith resisted and ran.

Sheriff Arnold, who was driving nearby, heard the radio call about Smith and turned around to search for him. The sheriff spotted him running near the Kubota store, approached him in his unmarked vehicle and took him into custody. Cpl. Whit Davis assisted. 

Once back at the jail, Smith was charged with three counts of felony possession of Schedule II drugs for resale and harassing phone calls. McPherson also charged him with felony escape.

Smith was booked into jail where he was being held on $22,500 bond Saturday afternoon. His hearing on the charges was set March 21 in General Sessions Court.