Clay County Inmate Escapes from Work Crew Near Transfer Station; Extensive Search Underway

Hayesville, N.C. — A trustee inmate walked away from a supervised mowing crew Thursday afternoon in Clay County, prompting a multi-agency search that continued into the evening without locating him.

Thomas Daniel Ware, 49, was assigned to the inmate work crew program at the Clay County Detention Center. He was being held pending trial on charges unrelated to threats or injury to any person.

In the early afternoon of April 16, 2026, Ware and another inmate were mowing grass along Hinton Center Road near the Clay County Transfer Station. While working just out of sight around a slight bend in the roadway shoulder, Ware parked the mower and fled on foot. The supervising detention officer noticed him missing within two to three minutes. Ware was not armed at the time of his escape.

Officers immediately launched an intensive search of the area, involving personnel on foot, patrol vehicles, and aerial drones. Despite the rapid response and assistance from neighboring agencies, Ware had not been located as of late Thursday.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office thanked the following agencies for their support in the search: the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Towns County Sheriff’s Office, N.C. State Bureau of Investigation, Macon County Sheriff’s Office, Clay County 911 Dispatch, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, and TVA Police.

Ware has been entered into the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC) as a wanted person.

Authorities described Ware as approximately 5'8" tall. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact the Clay County Sheriff’s Office immediately.

This incident marks a rare escape from a supervised trustee work detail in the small mountain county. Officials have not released details on the original charges against Ware or any additional information about potential risks to the public.