Man who escaped custody at Kennestone is recaptured
Jun. 24—Marietta police say they have recaptured a man who slipped out of Wellstar Kennestone Hospital early Thursday morning, where he was being treated for a shooting after being arrested on drug charges.
Ulysses Andre Roberson, 37, of Austell, broke out of his handcuffs around 1:45 a.m. and left the hospital undetected.
Marietta police received a tip about the shooting Wednesday evening, with the tipster saying Roberson was in his vehicle on Cobb Parkway in south Marietta.
When officers located Roberson, he reportedly fled on foot and was tracked by a Marietta K-9 into nearby woods. Around 8:30 p.m., police apprehended and arrested Roberson, who possessed distribution amounts of crack cocaine, before taking him to Kennestone for treatment.
Roughly 24 hours after his escape — around 2:30 a.m. Friday — Roberson was located at the Super 8 motel at 610 Franklin Gateway. He has since been "cooperative," per a news release from Officer Chuck McPhilamy.
McPhilamy defended Wellstar employees from "comments on social media that point blame at the hospital and their staff," saying the responsibility for Roberson fell on police.
"This entire incident is being reviewed by the MPD senior command staff to determine exactly what occurred and prevent this from happening again," McPhilamy said.
Roberson is being held at the Cobb County jail on the initial narcotics charge as well as a felony charge for escaping custody.
