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Noe Dominguez

Noe Dominguez

A 16-year old Polk County teen who escaped Saturday evening from a Department of Juvenile Justice facility near Crestview is now believed to have left the area by getting a ride out of town.

Noe Dominguez was the subject of an intense search after he climbed a fence at the DJJ detention facility and ran into nearby woods.

Dominguez was assigned there after escaping from a DJJ facility in Polk County a month prior. He was in detention on a violation of probation charge for an original offense of dealing in stolen property.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, including a K9 team and a boat unit, responded and K9’s were able to establish a track. They were assisted in the search by personnel from the Okaloosa Correctional Institution, the Walton Correctional Institution, the Fort Walton Beach Police Department, the North Okaloosa Fire Department, and Walton County Sheriff’s Office helicopter unit. However Dominguez was able to use the swampy area to hide and could not be located.

Sunday a Crestview man reported he had been fishing on the Shoal River Saturday night when a teen approached him and said he’d gotten separated from his friends and was from out of town and needed help. He allowed the teen to use his cell phone and took him to the Comfort Inn to await a ride. The fisherman says he was not aware of the search for a teen assigned to the DJJ FACILITY until the next day. He immediately contacted the OCSO to report the encounter. After seeing a photo of Dominguez he confirmed it was the same person.

The OCSO wants to thank all who assisted in the search.

An active warrant for escape has been issued for Dominguez.

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