ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office says a detainee was mistakenly released from the Buncombe County Detention Facility, marking the second release error at the jail in recent weeks.
Deputies said they learned on Dec. 4 that Corey Howell, who was released on Nov. 30, should have remained in custody because of a hold placed by the Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office. Howell had been jailed on charges including misdemeanor domestic violence, misdemeanor larceny and assault on a female.
According to the sheriff’s office, Howell was given a written promise to appear on some charges, but the additional hold was not accounted for before he was released. A search is underway to locate him, and anyone with information is asked to call 911.
“We deeply regret that this error has occurred,” Sheriff Quentin Miller said in a statement. “While we know of no immediate threat to the well-being of the public, we immediately notified the victim involved in this case of our mistake. We are making every effort to locate Howell and place him back into custody.”
Miller said the agency is reviewing the incident to determine what went wrong and to prevent similar errors.
The release comes amid recent questions about security at the detention facility. Late last month, a detainee who escaped the jail was recaptured in less than an hour. Officials said the circumstances of that escape, involving Jennifer Richards, remain under internal investigation.
In October, another detainee who was mistakenly released was later returned to custody.