MARION – A Williamson County work release inmate was recently arrested, and charges are pending for not returning to jail.

According to the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office, John D. Corliss was cited for Escape/Failure to Report to a Penal Institution, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Resisting a Peace Officer, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Illegal Transportation of Alcohol.

Corliss’ Williamson County work release privileges were administratively suspended by Sheriff Jeff Diederich pending a directive from the court.

Around 6:40 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 6, deputies began searching for Corliss who was in the custody of the Williamson County Jail but furloughed during scheduled hours each day as part of the work release program.

Corliss was serving a sentence for non-violent offenses and had been repeatedly late in returning to the jail as required.

After Corliss was several hours late, deputies began searching for him.

Sheriff Diederich was able to contact Corliss by phone. Corliss told the sheriff he wasn’t going to surrender and go back to jail.

The sheriff found Corliss in a parking lot in the 200 block of West Commercial Drive in Carterville six hours later. The sheriff approached the vehicle, identified Corliss as the driver, and ordered him to get out of the vehicle.

Despite multiple orders, Corliss refused to get out of the vehicle and began actively resisting arrest by grasping the vehicle’s steering wheel and bracing himself inside the vehicle to prevent being removed. The sheriff removed Corliss from the vehicle and placed him into custody.

Deputies located a half empty bottle of whiskey, controlled substance, drug paraphernalia, and a mirror and pill containers which both contained methamphetamine residue. He was then cited and taken to jail.