Albany inmate William Bryan Owens charged in connection with jail damage

ALBANY — An inmate at the Dougherty County Jail who had been arrested for armed robbery, hijacking and related charges has found more trouble in jail.

William Bryan Owens, whose age was listed as 22 when arrested in March, is now accused of causing thousands of dollars in damage to jail property, including porcelain sinks, handcuffs, lamp fixtures, cell doors and windows, said Col. John Ostrander, director of the jail.

“He’s a real discipline problem,” Ostrander said. “He (Owens) likes to pull up porcelain sinks, break them and use the chunks to damage cell windows.”

Ostrander said the jail used porcelain sinks “for years and years” before an inmate discovered how to break them. Now, the breakage is a regular thing. As sinks are destroyed, they’re replaced with more expensive stainless steel fixtures, Ostrander said.

Jail officials believe Owens went on a destructive rampage because he’s tired of jail living and wants a transfer to a prison facility with more freedom and access to resources.

“(Owens) said to one of our officers that he was ‘ready to ride out of here,’” Ostrander said.

When Owens was arrested he was on parole and probation for earlier offenses. On Wednesday, the jail was notified by the Georgia Department of Corrections that Owens had been approved for transfer to a state prison, Ostrander said.

Ostrander said Owens has been charged with 11 counts of interference with government property in connection with the damage at jail.

That’s in addition to charges the defendant incurred on March 24 after authorities said he led multiple law enforcement agencies from a three-county area on a chase of some 50 miles and at speeds approaching 130 miles per hour.

It started on the 700 block of River Chase Lane in Dougherty County, where Owens is alleged to have stolen a wallet and a Toyota Tundra truck. When he and the vehicle were later found in Lee County, a high-speed chase ensued involving Albany and Dougherty County police, the Albany-Dougherty Drug Unit, Georgia State Patrol, Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Baker County Sheriff’s Office.

Owens was finally stopped on the 2500 block of North Slappey Boulevard just north of the Palmyra Road intersection, police officials say, when law enforcement officers performed a pit maneuver on the Tundra, spinning it, then surrounding it with officers.

Owens was then charged with armed robbery, terroristic threats and acts, attempt to elude police officers, aggravated assault of law enforcement officers, 1st degree burglary and hijacking a motor vehicle.