BELLEVUE, Illinois – An overnight escape by an Illinois inmate ended with capture in a stolen pickup truck early Wednesday morning.
According to Peoria County Sheriff’s Police the escape began at approximately 11:00 p.m. last night when Cory Bragg, a 34-year-old male, fled on foot from the Peoria County Jail premises. He was part of a work crew responsible for garbage disposal when he made his bold move, setting off a frantic manhunt in the Bellevue area.
Bragg managed to avoid authorities for hours before he was recaptured after authorities sent out a revers 911 call notification to residents alerting them of the escape. Authorities mobilized an extensive search operation, deploying K-9 units, drones, and a significant contingent of officers to locate Bragg.
The saga began when Peoria County Detectives spotted Bragg at approximately 4:40 a.m. in the Glasford area, driving a stolen pickup truck he had allegedly taken from Plank Rd. in Bellevue. Detectives and Deputies made an attempt to stop Bragg, but he accelerated, initiating a high-speed chase into Pekin. Police successfully intercepted the stolen vehicle, taking Bragg back into custody around 5 a.m.
In 2017, Bragg was apprehended after allegedly striking both a U.S. Marshals Service vehicle and a Peoria police vehicle. This arrest followed his initial sentencing in 2012 when he received a 20-year prison term for methamphetamine-related charges.
The escape has raised concerns about security and supervision of inmates on work crews within the jail, prompting a review of protocols.
