Ringgold woman arrested for helping inmate escape

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

A 41-year-old Ringgold, Ga., woman has been charged with felony aiding escape in connection with the Wednesday morning escape of Walker County inmate David E. Hart, the Walker County Sheriff's Office said.

Tamara Elster provided her 2007 Mercedes ML 320 SUV, Georgia registration AVR 7965, to Hart's wife, Jessica Nicole Hart, to facilitate the escape, Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson said.

Wilson said Elster also accompanied Jessica Hart to Walker County School's Science and Technology Center in Chickamauga, Georgia where the inmate was doing work detail and was picked up.

Elster was arrested Wednesday afternoon at her Chattanooga workplace and has been transported to the Hamilton County jail, police said. If convicted, Ms. Elster could be sentenced from one to five years in the state penitentiary, the sheriff's office said.

Inmate David E. Hart and his wife, Jessica Nicole Hart, are being sought by authorities, police said.

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