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Update: A Piedmont Regional Jail (PRJ) inmate has been apprehended after escaping from police custody while attending court in Nottoway County Tuesday, Jan. 7. 

According to a press release from the Nottoway County Sheriff’s Office, PRJ inmate Danielle Cooper escaped from police custody while attending court Tuesday morning. At approximately 10:50 a.m. Cooper escaped from the Nottoway Circuit Court. 

The Nottoway Sheriff’s Office,PRJ, Nottoway Department of Corrections, Dinwiddie Sheriff’s Office and K9 units immediately began searching the area.

At approximately 12:30 p.m., according to the Nottoway Sheriff’s Office, a resident of West Courthouse Road found Cooper hiding in his vehicle. The resident had been alerted of the escaped inmate by CodeRed, a program used to send emergency notifications to county residents. He held Cooper there until deputies arrived and apprehended her.

Cooper was originally being held at PRJ on contempt of court and had been charged with failure to appear. After Tuesday’s incident, she has been charged with felony escape, and is being held without bail.

Nottoway County residents can register for CodeRed for free by visiting the Code Red tab at www.nottowaysheriff.org.