Whitman County Gazette - Serving Whitman County since 1877

COLFAX — Whitman County Jail inmate Dantae Billings, 21, of Spokane has been mistakenly released from jail, according to reports by Pullman Radio News.

Billings was arrested on Jan. 17 for allegedly burglarizing several cars in Pullman, and is one of the suspects from this month’s eluding and theft case.

Reports state that Billings failed to pull over for Pullman police, and was seen driving towards Moscow into oncoming traffic at 100 mph. As well as driving Main Street in Colfax at 80 mph.

Billings and Kaitlyn Corkins, 21, were arrested in southern Spokane County when they ran out of gas.

Authorities weren’t aware that Billings had been released from jail until his Superior Court hearing Friday morning.

Chief Deputy Prosecutor Dan LeBeau told the court that problems with the jail’s email system might have caused the jail to release Billings, reports state.

Authorities believe that Billings left jail falsely thinking he wasn’t going to be charged for the case.

LeBeau reportedly told the judge that he never received his email containing charging documents against Billings.

It is reported that Whitman County Commissioner Michael Largent stated that there is no evidence of an IT problem in the courthouse that would have led to the accidental release.

Billings was being held in jail on a $100,000 bond, and is being summoned to appear in court in a week.