Two Bourbon County inmates are back behind bars after the SUV they stole from the Bourbon County Fire Department ran out of gas in Whitley County.

Michael McDowell and Shane Carson were supposed to be painting a painting a fire truck Friday when they instead took off in the Fire Chief's SUV.

When that Ford Bronco was found abandoned early Saturday morning near Williamsburg, authorities there expected to be getting another stolen vehicle report, but they were able to apprehend the subjects before than happened.

"We had been searching all morning, residential areas, businesses, motels and we received a call that two male subjects were walking toward I-75 at the bypass, and I turned and came back by and saw the two individuals come out of the wood line onto the shoulder of the interstate." said Lt. R.W. Bird of the Williamsburg Police Department

The abandoned fire department vehicle had been found around 7:15 Saturday and the prisoners were back in custody within 3 hours after that. Although they were considered dangerous, the two men gave up without offering any resistance whatsoever.

Lt. Bird says, "We took them down, and they didn't put up a fight. I think they knew they were caught and there was nowhere to go. They appeared to be very tired and hungry."

Police have since learned that the two escapees drove all the way to Tennessee, then turned around and drove back into Kentucky, but exactly what their plan was remains a mystery. Both McDowell and Carson denied our request for an interview at the Whitley County Detention Center.