An inmate from a Washington state jail was temporarily released to help hotwire an RV that he was accused of stealing. The inmate, still in his orange jumpsuit, was seen in a viral video assisting the owner of the RV, Olive Teague, to start the engine of the vehicle that is used for her Seattle Mermaid School diving business. The inmate was requested by a frustrated cop who was unable to start the engine after the RV was recovered, and the officer knew the inmate had the skills to help.
Surprisingly, the officer called upon the inmate to assist rather than going back for another officer. In the TikTok video posted by Teague, the inmate is seen sitting next to her friend and instructing her how to jumpstart the RV using a screwdriver. The video garnered over 9 million views and showed the accused thief providing step-by-step guidance on starting the engine, which successfully started after his assistance. Teague praised the inmate’s teaching skills and how he helped jumpstart the RV.
Teague’s 1996 Ford F350 RV had been stolen in December, along with valuable items including her mermaid swimming gear, student paperwork, and free-diviving equipment. When the vehicle was recovered in March, it had been sold, stripped of certain parts, and damaged with fire and dents. Additionally, squatters had lived in it and driven it roughly 1,300 miles, leaving behind trash and drug paraphernalia. Teague set up a GoFundMe to help cover the repair costs for her damaged RV.
The inmate’s charges were not immediately clear, and a representative for the jail did not provide any further information. Teague expressed her relief at having the RV successfully jumpstarted with the assistance of the inmate, acknowledging that while she does not know how to hotwire a car, she is capable of punching out an ignition if needed in the future. The video captured a unique and unexpected situation where the accused thief was called upon to use his skills for a positive outcome, showcasing his ability and willingness to assist despite his circumstances.
