The search for two escaped inmates from Hays State Prison continues this morning in Chattooga County.  Authorities have identified the two suspects as 48 year old Michael A. Tweedwell and 52 year old Johnny Mack Brown.

The two escaped from Hays Prison in the Pennville community, just north of Summerville Monday morning.  The siren at the prison, used to alert the community when prisoners escape, started sounding around 11:45 AM.  Authorities say they believe the two may have changed clothes out of their prison uniforms.  K9 Units from Hays Prison tracked the suspects all day yesterday in the Spring Creek community in northeastern Chattooga County.  The search expanded yesterday with law enforcement scouring the remote areas of Taylors Ridge.

Brown is serving a life sentence and has been incarcerated since 1999. He was convicted in Clarke County for hijacking a motor vehicle, armed robbery, theft by taking and aggravated assault. Tweedell was convicted in Cobb County for armed robbery; convicted in Clayton County for theft by motor vehicle and theft by receiving stolen property; convicted in Gwinnett County on three counts of burglary and convicted on drug charges in Walton County).

The search included units from several state prisons around Georgia along with the Chattooga County Sheriffs Department, the Department of Natural Resources and the Georgia State Patrol.

Anyone with any information regarding these escaped inmates are urged to call 911 immediately.